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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28650336">Stuck in the Middle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felidae5/pseuds/Felidae5'>Felidae5</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Lupin III</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Hidden Feelings, Lupin Angsts, M/M, Pining, Rating changed due to smut, Smut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 06:14:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>21,094</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28650336</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Felidae5/pseuds/Felidae5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Heya, everybody, back again with a Lupin/Zenigata story. This one was inspired by <i>Inner Circle's</i> <i>Stuck in the Middle</i> from the <i>Bad to the Bone</i> album.<br/>Lupin has a hidden crush on Zenigata, but when the inspector catches him off-guard, making Lupin slip up, what's a master thief to do?<br/>Oh, and the pwon finally made it into the story, too.^^</p><p>Thanks everyone for 1000 hits!</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Arsène Lupin III/Zenigata Kouichi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>39</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Stuck in the middle</i>
</p><p>Looking in from the outside, Lupin seemed to have all his ducks in a row, despite his over-enthusiastic, hyperactive nature and lecherous disposition.<br/>
However, there was a part of him that was in constant disarray, the part of him he had lost to one Inspector Zenigata Koichi of Interpol.<br/>
Now, it was not difficult to see as to where the master thief could have fallen for the stern police officer; from a purely visual point of view, Zenigata was a man's man:<br/>
Tall, slightly bulky, a strong chin with an almost obligatory cleft, the near on cute nose and big eyes with the long lashes, the luxurious sideburns that were only rivaled by Jigen's...<br/>
Lupin gave a small sigh, when thinking about those broad shoulders, the wide chest and those legs.<br/>
Those long, long, endless legs which carried the inspector's large form practically effortlessly through the roughest terrain, up the highest slopes and past the deathliest traps.<br/>
Speaking of which, maybe he should focus on getting out of this vault. Turning upside down, Lupin readjusted the mouthpiece of his scuba tank and gave the intricate lock another look-over. High quality, prime standard, custom quadruple safety system. Since he already had the code, his dexterous fingers made quick process of the number wheel, then he reached into his utility belt and pulled out an underwater blowtorch.<br/>
He was halfways past the inbuilt heavy bolts, when his earpiece crackled and Jigen's voice said,<br/>
"Whatever you're doing down there, hurry up, Lupin. We got company."<br/>
The thief gave an affirmative grunt as the torch cut through the last lever and was swiftly replaced by a set of tweezers, tiny pincers and a scaler. Red, red, green and blue, drain the blood, clovers are true. Black and yellow, friend of fellow, lose the red or end up dead...<br/>
His fingers were growing cold inside the thermo-gloves, but his mind unerringly ran through the nursery rhymes he had memorized the wire settings with.<br/>
Don't let the sun go down on me, red red wine, don't cut my spine, black has my back, blue ain't true and-<br/>
'Voilà', he thought by himself, as he not so much heard as felt the tiny whoosh, when the pressure within the seal was released. The door trembled slightly, then there was a loud clank and it opened. A rush of air came shooting out and with it a huge, oddly shaped lump-<br/>
'Holy, shit!' Lupin gaped,<br/>
'It's Zenigata!' True enough, the inspector, in full scuba gear, unfolded his large form and shot towards Lupin like a torpedo. Panicked, Lupin scrambled to reach the surface, even as he heard Jigen shout into his com,<br/>
"Lupin, get outta there! Zenigata just showed up with a whole army! We got some of the loot and are retreating! Meet us at A-fourteen!"<br/>
Lupin, plowing through the water like a riverboat queen, was in no mindset to answer. While his mind and survival instincts told him to put as much distance between himself and the inspector, his lizard brain conjured up images of them engaging in a romantic, sensual underwater ballet, hard bodies entwining and caressing-<br/>
A sharp yank, as the all too familiar feel of a cuff around his ankles stopped Lupin's train of thought and forward motion. Before he had time to gather his wits, strong arms encircled him, a second pair of cuffs was attached to his left wrist and Zenigata firmly wrapped himself around the thief.<br/>
Who struggled, writhed and fought back, legs flailing helplessly as the inspector pressed him closer, and all of a sudden, Lupin stopped his scuffling.<br/>
Not because there was no more fight left in him, no, but because his body was reacting to both the inspector's closeness and the friction of the diving suit.<br/>
Lupin swallowed dryly; sweat breaking out on his forehead.<br/>
He was hard, and not just a little, but ready-for-action-and-make-it-count hard. He couldn't let Zenigata see him this way; Lupin would never survive the embarassment.<br/>
"Think, Lupin, think! How do we get out of this without oji-chan clueing in?"<br/>
Strong fingers turned his head to face Zenigata, and Lupin's eyes widened in utter panic. Big, dark brown and grey orbs scrutinized him in puzzlement and worry. He could almost hear the gruff voice ask,<br/>
"Ne, Lupin, daijoubu ka?" Again he swallowed, but this time he choked on air and, tearing off his mouth piece, began to gag and cough.<br/>
Promptly, Zenigata steadied him and placed the mouthpiece back, before Lupin accidentaly inhaled water. His large hand wrote soothing circle's on the thief's belly -and froze.<br/>
Lupin's entire body tensed. Oh no.<br/>
Oh God, no, please, no. Don't let him...<br/>
Lupin peeked through his diving goggles at Zenigata and the older man returned the look, one eyebrow raised. His gaze was calm, knowing, curious and concerned. Lupin felt his ears redden, then took the opportunity and, pushing his feet into the inspector's thighs, freed himself and shot up to the surface. His lungs screamed, his eyes teared up and his ears roared in pain, but he didn't care. He had to get away, away from the inspector, away from Zenigata and his big, warm understanding eyes.<br/>
He broke through the surface to a pandemonium of police, soldiers, heavy artillery and several meters from his designed exit point. Stealthily, he used the confusion to swim over to his escape route and, dumping his entire gear, made a successfull retreat wearing little more than his undergarment.<br/>
All this time, his erection had not subsided.<br/>
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Yup, another one of those. Don't know why, but I find the LuZeni pairing more appealing than JiLupin. That's just me. Don't know where this is going, but I'll definetly continue.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. I'm stuck in the middle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>I'm stuck in the middle</i>
</p><p>"Ne, don't take it so hard, Lupin," said Daisuke two days later, as they lazed around their hideout,<br/>
"You win some, you lose some. That's life." Goemon, sitting crosslegged at a small table, contemplating the way the tiny leaves in his matcha rose and sank, nodded.<br/>
"True. Life is all about balance. And now, it is crucial to get both your mind and body back in balance."<br/>
Lupin sulked.<br/>
He had been sulking ever since they made it here, waiting for things to blow over and the thief's body to heal. The damage of the diving stunt had been superficial and reversible, for good luck. Always ready for everything, the team had picked up a miniature decompression chamber where Lupin had spent fourteen hours in, mostly sleeping and plugging his eardrums. He had a slight hearing impediment, but according to the local doctor they had bribed to check him over, it would heal in a couple of weeks, completely.<br/>
If he stayed away from loud noises and bodies of water.<br/>
What had not healed was his wounded pride. Not over the botched job, no, as Jigen said, it happens to the best.<br/>
But that Zenigata..he couldn't even finish the thought without his body reacting in the most shameful ways. His heartrate sped up, his cheeks flushed, his cock stirred and the warmth pooling in his stomach and blossoming in his chest...<br/>
"I'm going for a walk", he declared, and was out the door before the others could react. Jigen and Goemon looked at his departing form, one another and shrugged. Lupin had been going on a lot of walks lately.</p><p>Sitting on a rock overseeing the vast expanse of fields surrounding the forest their comfy little hideout was nestled in, Lupin contemplated.<br/>
Elbows resting on his knees, hands folded between his legs, he tried to gather his thoughts.<br/>
Zenigata knew.<br/>
But how much did he know?<br/>
All the inspector was aware of at the current moment, was that Lupin had sported an erection during their fight. There were a number of explanations to this:<br/>
-Lupin was reacting to Zenigata's presence and actions<br/>
-Lupin's arousal was premature glee of another perfectly executed plan and equally valuable loot<br/>
-Lupin's body was really just affected by the friction of the suit or<br/>
-Lupin had a fetish for silicone and rubber<br/>
While none of these reason sounded quite palatable to Lupin, he still hoped with every fibre of his being that Zenigata would go with the gloating or friction option. Hell, he could even live with the inspector believing him having a fetish. Just as long as he didn't..didn't...<br/>
Lupin hung his head low.</p><p>Inspector Zenigata Koichi of the Japanese Division of Interpol sat in his office and contemplated.<br/>
He thought about Lupin, the thief's erection and his reaction, when he realized that he had been found out. Zenigata frowned. Lupin had looked only partially embarassed, which was understandable but mostly...<br/>
He had looked guilty.<br/>
Guilty, as if he had hidden a secret or vital information from the inspector and was now being called out. It puzzled Zenigata, who-<br/>
"Ne, Zeni, heard you let Lupin get away again", griped one of his coworkers. The inspector growled,<br/>
"Unlike you, I can at least pride myself of having had him in a headlock."<br/>
"And then what, he magically disappeared?" Zenigata pulled his hat lower.<br/>
"Feigned a choking fit, and when I wanted to help, kicked me and got away."<br/>
That was the official version and he had the bruises on his thighs to proof it.<br/>
It was as close to the truth as possible. While not a headlock, his hold had been hard enought to bruise. And if Lupin had died due to his-<br/>
"Ne, should have just let him drown", the other officer stated. Zenigata slammed his fist on the table.<br/>
"Baka! As long as Lupin is alive, we can flush out the others trying to help him! If he dies, they'll just disperse and we'll see neither them nor any of the stolen goods ever again!"<br/>
Leaning back in his chair, he grumbled,<br/>
"Lupin is alive far more worth than dead. Besides, killing or letting a suspect die for no good reason can cost you your job."<br/>
Realizing that the inspector had a point, the other officer slunk away, leaving Zenigata to his thoughts.<br/>
Thoughts revolving around the question as to why.<br/>
Why had Lupin looked so guilty?</p><p>Two months later, fully recovered and desperate for action, Lupin threw himself into their next heist with a fevor that even had Jigen reeling.<br/>
If he hadn't know better, he would have said that the master thief was trying to run from something, to keep his mind off of whatever had plagued him since that last botched job, but couldn't fathom what it was.<br/>
All he knew was that the thief was running too far, too fast, burning himself up in an attempt to escape whatever demons hounded him.<br/>
'He is like a man possessed,' Goemon thought to himself, as he followed his teammates into the abyss the First National Bank of Alagua called its innards,<br/>
'he is trying to run from a destiny that has been decided, even before his ancestor first glimpsed the day of light. But if I were to tell him, he would merely deny it and race faster towards his downfall.'</p><p>He had not been there.<br/>
'Probably laying low as we did'' thought Lupin, as he jogged down the tunnel to their escape. Then again, it wasn't as if this had been a big caper. More of an <i>escapade</i>, if one were to say so.<br/>
A determinded smile appared on Lupin's face, as he launched himself into the air and onto the next roof.<br/>
Time to think big.</p><p>"Ne, oji-chan, better luck next time!"<br/>
Lupin was so happy, he thought he could burst.<br/>
An entire squadron of police and military had been on their heels and as always, the last man standing was Zenigata. Lupin's chest swelled with pride and longing as he watched the unmarked police car gain on them.<br/>
"Neeee, oji-chan, ganbarre, ganbarre! You almost made it!" he cheered from where he stood on the front seat, looking out the sunroof.<br/>
"Lupin, who's side are you on?" roared Jigen, from where he was pulling a +Burt Reynolds 1977. Goemon, sitting on the backseat guarding their loot, frowned in agreement.<br/>
"Oh relax, Jigen," grinned Lupin,<br/>
"I'm just pulling Zenigata's leg." Turning back, he continued,<br/>
"Hayaku, hayaku -no, no that way, there's a-aww, gomen, oji-chan, that was <i>my</i> grenade! Sayonara!" </p><p>"Haaah, that was great," exclaimed Lupin, as he threw himself backwards on a seatee,<br/>
"and having oji-chan eat our dust was just the icing on the cake!"<br/>
Arms crossed behind his head, he stared at the ceiling, eyes shimmering with unabashed glee. Jigen and Goemon came over, looking down at him. Jigen's eyes narrowed.<br/>
"Is that why we pulled this show off? Just to mock Zenigata?"<br/>
Goemon remained silent, but his expression spoke volumes. Lupin chuckled and waved galantly.<br/>
"Ne, guys, I was just making up for lost time. It's been too long since we actually flexed some serious muscle, and let's face it, the last couple of jobs were really just laundry change."<br/>
Grumbling, his two friends agreed and left to sort out the booty. Lupin never noticed the suspicious look Jigen threw him as he passed through the door.</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Throughout writing this chapter, I had three images of Lupin in my mind: him sitting on a rock, thinking, that superiour grin he gets when he knows he's won, and just gleaming with happiness, looking up at the ceiling.</p><p>+refers to the movie <i>Smokey and the Bandit</i>; probably one of the most beloved and iconic Burt Reynolds movies. I you've never seen it, check it out. If you know it, you know what I meant.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Between dance and romance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Between dance and romance</i>
</p><p>"We need to talk, boss."<br/>
Lupin, who was happily polishing jewelry and tossing them on heaps separated by worth and colour, hummed quizzicaly. Jigen pulled out a cigarette, but didn't light it.<br/>
"About you and Zenigata." For a split-second, the master thief's rythmic wiping stuttered, then continued undeterred.<br/>
"What about him?" Blunt, calloused fingers rolled the cigarette to and fro.<br/>
"This -thing the two of you got going on." The rubbing intensified; silver has a tendency to dull over time. Lupin still smiled, but the humming had stopped.<br/>
"You mean his obsession with hunting me down and throwing me in jail? What about it?"<br/>
The cigarette performed acrobatics through nimble fingers.<br/>
"You know that's not what I mean." More rubbing, then the bracelet joined the other ruby-studded trinkets.<br/>
"Jigen, you're talking in circles. Get to the point, man." A sharp glance from underneath a dark rim, the cigarette found its way between waiting lips.<br/>
"It's like, I dunno, you're trying to get his attention..?"<br/>
"Eighteenth century, Georgia, if I'm correct. Need a new bike, Ji-chan?" He held up a gold, amethyst and emerald encrusted necklace that could have doubled as a pectoral. His smile caught on an edge.<br/>
"I'm not <i>trying</i> to get his attention, I already <i>got</i> it."<br/>
Brown held brown. Lupin's smile never wavered, but there was a silent warning in his eyes. Jigen gave a faint snort and turned for the door, lighting his cigarette.<br/>
"Fine. Have it your way." He took a drag.<br/>
"As for the bike, no thanks. Mine's still in A-condition."<br/>
Smoke billowed around him, as he added,<br/>
"'Sides, it's <i>Hungarian</i>." Lupin blinked, then inspected the necklace closer.<br/>
"Ara, how did he-?" </p><p>Mine Fujiko was, by all means, an unparallelled beauty.<br/>
Silky, red-brown hair, warm chocolate eyes, a complexion like milk and honey, perfectly swung lips and a cherry-shaped face...<br/>
Not to mention she had more curves than a serpentine and long, slender legs that seemed destined for micro-skirts and stay-ups.<br/>
Coupled with her quick wit, sex appeal, reckless ambition and bright intellect, she was devastation incarnate. At least for any man who fell victim to her charms.<br/>
And Lupin was no exception.<br/>
For years he had been lusting, running, chasing after her like a love-sick dog. Time and time again she had goaded him along, wrapped around her pinky and cheated him out of so much loot and satisfaction, even Goemon had developped a dislike towards her.<br/>
Though at times she had come through for them, even saved them, it had always come at a price.<br/>
And too often said price had been cheering Lupin out of a semi-depressed state, when Fujiko's rejection had hit the thief particularly hard.<br/>
But lately..lately there had been a shift of Lupin's behaviour towards the femme fatale. He still tried to lure her into bed, but it had become more of a habit, something to be expected of him. His mind was still set on her, but his heart wasn't in it.<br/>
Something or someone had taken that place, and Jigen had a strong suspicion it had to do with a certain tall, burly inspector.</p><p>"Ja, whatcha gonna do if oji-chan shows up?"<br/>
The question caught Lupin off-guard. Here he was, guiding his team of jolly men into their next heist and Jigen dropped this bomb on him.<br/>
Keeping his eyes on the road, as he eased the unsuspicious bakery van into the narrow parking lot just outside the summer residence of Count Yagura, Lupin scowled.<br/>
"Same as always: try to outrun him without losing the loot."<br/>
"And stealing a kiss in the process?"<br/>
Lupin almost backed the van into the wall. Damn, when had Goemon joined the fray? Obviously the two were ganging up on him, and that right before a job.<br/>
As if having read his thoughts, Jigen stated,<br/>
"We can't do this if we can't trust you not to throw yourself at Zenigata. We need to make sure you won't run off with him into the sunset. Are you sure you can keep your hands off of him?" Lupin felt a tiny bead of sweat crawl down his temple. It was just the disguise, he told himself, as he felt his cheeks underneath his mask heat up.<br/>
"Where did that come from?" he asked, a tad bit harsher than necessary. Goemon and Jigen exchanged glances.<br/>
"You have been acting -odd, since that failed caper in Czarechstan", replied Goemon. Jigen pulled his hat down further.<br/>
"Lemme guess, you tried to cop a feel when Zenigata had you trapped, ne?"<br/>
A miniscule tightening of his throat Lupin discreetly swallowed down.<br/>
"Zenigata would have drowned me."<br/>
"Nah, I doubt that," stated Jigen, "Zenigata might have a killer<i> instinct</i>, but he's no <i>killer</i>. Get what I mean?" Goemon added,<br/>
"True. Eternal enemies notwithstanding, Zenigata is a man of honour and would never seek our deaths."<br/>
With that, his partners launched into action and once again, Lupin was mesmerized with how well they clicked. The gunfire blazing from the magnum's mullet reflected on the cold steel of Zantetsuken as they cut a path through barriers and foes alike.<br/>
Swift, silent and deadly, they moved without exchanging a syllable, neither being a man of many words. Once more, Lupin felt the rift between them; both were assassins, men trained to kill, raised to bring death. He, he was a thief who only killed when left with little to no choice.<br/>
A bullet richocheted off an unseen obstacle, hit a lever and the enormous raised steel gate came rushing down, just to be sliced in pieces by Goemon's uncanny skill.<br/>
Lupin's face saddened; him and Jigen were an unity; two pieces of a whole that perfectly fit together.<br/>
But Goemon and Jigen were one <i>being</i>, like the two extentions of one and the same soul. There was no arguement or bickering, no rushed flurry of words to make certain the other one understood; their actions spoke a language either one was fluent in.<br/>
It made Lupin's chest tighten with something he didn't like, so he focused back on the task at hand.</p><p>Four hours later, with their attempted treasure in safety and some extra haul for good measure, the trio made its way out of the palace, laughing and throwing quips at their persuers. A couple of previously set-up booby traps, two or three fog grenades and thirtteen glitter bombs(Lupin's newest lovechild)ensured their save passage to where they caught sight of their trusty drive waiting for them.<br/>
Goemon took the lead, Jigen close behind him.<br/>
Lupin, carrying to large burlap bags and a blue topaz necklace, followed suit, when the cobblestone road underneath him suddenly gave way and he crushed through the surface.<br/>
He felt the cold steel before the cuffs locked around his ankle and instinctly threw himself around midfall. The rocks separated, a hand shot up and an unfamilair voice shouted,<br/>
"Arsène Lupin, you are under arrest!"<br/>
A face, a strange face, a face he had never seen before, a meaningless face appeared in the hole, and Lupin felt lightning hot anger race through him.<br/>
This was utterly unconstitutional! A disgusting breach of trust! How dare he!<br/>
How dare Zenigata, <i>his</i> oji-chan, break the rules! They had an understanding, an agreement! No one was to bring him, Lupin, in dead or alive, than Zenigata himself. This-this- <i>nobody</i> was not fit-<br/>
Lupin's heel connected with a sickening crunch with the poor agent's face, breaking bones, bending cartilage and breaching vessels. An effortless motion and Lupin was free, sneering in disgust.<br/>
Even the handcuffs were subpar; Zenigata always prided himself with the newest models and supreme quality. Without so much as a look back, Lupin made for his comrades and Fiat.<br/>
From a sideroad, a shadow stepped into the open and watched the rapidly moving vehicle disappear in the distance.</p><p>"You knew this would happen?"<br/>
Zenigata sat next to the bed of his fallen officer, his intertwined hands covering the lower half of his face.<br/>
"Let's say, I had a hunch", he muttered, thoughts raceing a mile a second.<br/>
"Explain yourself." The inspector drew a deep breath and, never taking his eyes off the mangled face obscured by an oxygen mask, replied,<br/>
"Because Lupin is, aside of being a thief, escape artist and high-profile criminal, also a noble. He is blue-blooded-"<br/>
"More like blue-sprinkled blood, if you ask me", muttered his boss under his breath,<br/>
"-blue-blooded and this knowledge and upbringing has left him with a certain sense of entitlement. He believes that only the best is good enough for him. So when you sent Shiratori in my stead, he felt personally insulted. Which I can relate to."<br/>
He threw a glance at the Commissioner-in-chief, who merely shrugged.<br/>
"I was just curious if your methods and profiling of Lupin were adequate for the suspect. I see now, that while they can be applicated by others, this is a personal feud." He placed one well-mancured hand on Zenigata's broad shouder.<br/>
"Good work. Keep it up."<br/>
"Hai. Arigatou gozaimashita, Ryukawa-Keishi-chou." </p><p>The loot had been divided, their getaway had gone smoothly, but Lupin was still discontented. Relaxing in their latest hideout, surrounded by wealth literally dripping off the shelves, the master thief sat brooding. Jigen watched him from where he stood, unlit cigarette in hand.<br/>
"Ne, I think Zenigata was just as pissed as you." Lupin pouted.<br/>
"Then why did he let it happen?" Jigen shrugged.<br/>
"Politics. I doubt he had much of a say in it." Goemon added,<br/>
"Knowing Zenigata, he probably-"<br/>
"No, you don't know Zenigata! None of you knows Zenigata was well as I do! Don't you dare stand there and tell me how well you know Zenigata, while I'm in the room!" yelled Lupin. He then stomped out and slammed the door shut behind him. Just to throw it open again and shout,<br/>
"And we're having Sukiyaki for dinner, ok? I already made the reservations, so dress up posh!" Again, the door slammed shut, causing a priceless gold censer to clatter to the floor.<br/>
Jigen lit his cigarette and muttered,<br/>
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say he's jealous."<br/>
"Jealous, ne?" Goemon hmmed.<br/>
"He does sound like a jilted lover."<br/>
Smoke billowed around Jigen's beard, forming a graceful cloud.<br/>
"Lover, huh?"<br/>
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Dun dun dun...and thus Jigen begins to plot. Maybe. We'll see.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. My head is spinning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So, Lupin does not take kindly to being arrested by anyone else but Zenigata. How does that play out? We'll just have to see...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>My head is spinning</i>
</p><p>All was right with the world.<br/>
His right hand was clutching the thumb drive with the blueprints as his left wrist was adorned with a ring of shiny steel.<br/>
"Oji-chan, you made it! What kept you so long?" He really tried to keep the overwhelming joy out of his voice, but he couldn't help himself.<br/>
Standing just around a corner, Zenigata had a firm grip on the links, face set in a grim scowl.<br/>
"Took me off your case, but I'm back. And now you're mine!" Taking a leap forwards, Lupin entered the inspector's personal space.<br/>
"But oji-chan, I've always been yours! You should know that by now."<br/>
Dark brown-grey eyes narrowed, then Lupin was yanked into the shadows of the narrow road. Zenigata pulled at the cuffs, forcing Lupin to his height.<br/>
"You might want to rephrase that. Or I might get the wrong idea."<br/>
Lupin's eyes widened. He couldn't bring his mouth to work, his body to move.<br/>
His heart hammered against his ribcage, sweat broke from every pore and he felt a whimper rise, caged in the back of his throat.<br/>
Zenigata was so, so close, their bodies touching, brushing against each other, the inspector's breath teasing his lips, his scent stealing the air from his lungs.<br/>
And he knew.<br/>
Heaven help him, Zenigata knew.<br/>
Lupin felt his legs tremble, icy shivers run down his spine and then his lower half comitted the ultimate betrayal.<br/>
Pulsating, twitching, his cock strained against his pants and pressed into Zenigata's thigh.<br/>
Not even bothering to glance down, the inspector growled,<br/>
"Maybe it is time to make up your mind what you want, <i>Arsène</i>. Be honest with yourself."<br/>
And Lupin panicked.<br/>
Hearing his given name fall from these lips he had so often fantasized about, made him feel weak, vulnerable, out of control, helpless.<br/>
It was something he hated with a vengeance, and he lashed out, clawing at the handcuffs, Zenigata, his own wrist, raging blindly.<br/>
A gunshot rang out, the tension on his arm gave way and he fell flat on is ass. Not even taking the time to comprehend, he scurried to his feet and dashed away, faster and faster, away from the alley, Zenigata, the spot where had lost himself.</p><p>Zenigata watched the frightened thief hoist himself into the van where Jigen already waited to pull him in, and sighed. He lifted the broken cuff to examine it and caught the specks of blood and tissue lining the edges.<br/>
Giving another deep sigh, he stored the shattered restraint in is breast pocket. </p><p>"No."<br/>
"No?" Lupin turned his back to her. He couldn't stand to look at Fujiko right now.<br/>
It had barely been three days since their run-in with Zenigata, and Lupin was still not quite back to normal. The last he needed right now was for his old fame to stir up things even worse. Crossing his arms, he continued,<br/>
"You're always causing trouble. If you want our help, first return the loot you stole from us." Jigen and Goemon gaped in disbelief. Fujiko stood there, mouth open, but no sound escaped. Eventually, she regained her wits and cried,<br/>
"What has gotten into you, Lupin? Since when are you this-this-callous?"<br/>
"I'm not callous, I'm <i>cautious</i>", replied the thief over his shoulder, squinting one eye.<br/>
"We got our own dibs in this job, and while we <i>could</i> help you out," he plopped down in a Louis XVl armchair,<br/>
"let's just say, I think it's best not to mix business with pleasure, ne?"<br/>
Everything screeched to a halt. Jigen's cigarette dropped from his lips, Goemon's facial muscles stopped working and Fujiko looked ready to faint.<br/>
She drew a deep breath, stalked over to where Lupin sat in his chair and, bending over him, hissed,<br/>
"Who are you and what have you done to Lupin?" The thief held up both hands in defense.<br/>
"Careful, Fuji-cakes, you don't want your best assets exposed for no good reason, ne?"<br/>
Seven, eight, nine, ten...Lupin made no attempts whatsoever to touch said assets, but instead kept his eyes firmly locked with Fujiko's.<br/>
A slow blush crept up the beautous face, even as Fujiko grew more and more irate.<br/>
With a supressed shriek the femme fatale swerved around and yelled at the other two men,<br/>
"What on earth did you do to him?!?"</p><p>Everything was glamour and glitz and shine.<br/>
It was a 'Canne's Sundance Festival combined with the Vienna Opera Ball and then Christie's entire collection poured over the whole brouhahaha' event.<br/>
Moving through the illustrous guests, Lupin was fully in his element. Wine glass in his hand, Fujiko, wearing a dress reminiscent of freshly melted <i>chocolat blanc</i> dusted with diamond splinters at his arm, the thief extraordinaire looked every part the well-bred aristocrat he was. They chit-chatted with the Baroness of Lachtoviç about the donation her oh-so-kind-but-naïve nephew had made to the Bragtenjov Museum of Arts, when Fujiko excused herself. Sauntering over to a man in his early fifties, she immediately began enthralling him with her charms. Lupin gazed after her, seemingly forlorn, but in reality scanning the entire ball room making certain all exit points where free.<br/>
Hmm.<br/>
Three were occupied by staff that moved to stiffly, too silently for professional waiters. Not a problem.<br/>
Lupin slipped his hand into his pants pocket, searching for the tiny, altered remote control. Sly fingers pressed the buttons reading '15', '18' and '22'.<br/>
There.<br/>
Now Jigen and Goemon would know-<br/>
"-a beauty, isn't she?" Puzzled, Lupin turned to look at the baroness. Who in turn had her focus on Fujiko, laughing coquettely at some joke her target had made. Shrewd green eyes glanced at Lupin.<br/>
"You might want to ask her, before she grows tired of waiting, young man. Love is only <i>that</i> patient."<br/>
With a motherly smile, the elderly woman turned and walked away, leaving a baffled, near-sputtering Lupin in her wake.<br/>
A few precious seconds, and Lupin was back in control. What did that old bat know about him or Fujiko? Glancing at said woman, he saw her eyes resting on him, as she touched her right earring, plucking an errand strand of hair back.<br/>
Go time.<br/>
He threw back his wine and proceeded to slip out the ball room to where he knew his decoy was waiting. Risking a peek over his shoulder to ensure no one was witnessing his departure, Lupin turned the corner<br/>
-and connected with a different shoulder.<br/>
Damn.<br/>
"I don't believe, we have been introduced, yet," rumbled a voice that sent shivers down Lupin's back. Raising his gaze, he looked into Zenigata's face.<br/>
Zenigata, wo wasn't wearing a hat.<br/>
Zenigata, who had his short hair styled just so.<br/>
Zenigata, who wore a deep burgundy tuxedo three-piece with tails.<br/>
Zenigata, who made Lupin want to fall on his knees, thank God for his life and propose.</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
I really just wanted to put Zenigata into something smooth and sexy. And Lupin drooling all over him.<br/>
For reference, try this: https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.ebayimg.com%2Fimages%2Fg%2FDyAAAOSw831b7RG1%2Fs-l300.jpg&amp;f=1&amp;nofb=1</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Gotta take back the chance</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Two for one and a touch of eyecandy.^^</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>Gotta take back the chance</i>
</p><p>He couldn't force his mouth to produce a single drop of saliva.<br/>
"I am quite certain, we have" he replied, charming smile sliding into place.<br/>
One charcoal brow rose.<br/>
"I knew you couldn't resist", stated the inspector. Lupin, who's legs were merely seconds from giving way, purred,<br/>
"Resist what? The ball?" Dark silver, brushed with chestnut, rested on his face, then wandered to take in the comparably deserted hallway they stood in.<br/>
"Everything. The pomp, the names, the jewels, the money, the information, the thrill..."<br/>
His eyes met Lupin's.<br/>
<i>Me.</i><br/>
The word went unspoken, but Lupin heard it just as clear. His trademarked smirk affixed itself with some dificulty, when he replied,<br/>
"Ne, oji-chan, you know I love a good challenge." For the longest time, neither man moved. Lupin, in his awkard position of still trying to slink away, felt his suit constrict him.<br/>
Usually, he had no problems wearing a tuxedo, hell, reveled even in the luxury of one.<br/>
However, compared to Zenigata, he knew he made for a rather sad example.<br/>
Whoever had made Zenigata's suit, should be knighted for it.<br/>
Like a cat draping itself over a lover's seat, the jacket smoothed itself over the broad shoulders and chest down the still slender waist. The vest cinched in all the right places, the white ruffled shirt a stark contrast to the black lapels. Loose fit, the pants flirted with Zenigata's long legs, and Lupin wanted to wrap himself around them like a squid.<br/>
He could tell from the lining and stitching that this ensemble hadn't been cheap; there was not a hint of polyester or viscose.<br/>
Silk, wool, linen, perhaps some cotton in the shape of velvet, but otherwise, Interpol had obviously gone all out to doll up Zenigata like this.<br/>
Maybe he should thank them by letting himself get arrested for a little longer than just a couple of minutes. A day or three, maybe; as long as Zenigata was there to guard him twenty-four-seven, that didn't sound too bad.<br/>
"Are you having a moment?" Lupin tore his eyes from where they were glued on his rival's chest. Damn, had he just spaced out?<br/>
"I think it's best if you come with me." Oh great, now his spit decided to make an impromptu return. Swallowing, the master thief gave a mischievous grin and replied,<br/>
"Ne, oji-chan, gotta take a rain check. See you around!"<br/>
With uncanny swiftness he sidestepped Zenigata and raced down the hall. Curse the inspector, now he was running behind schedule, and all because Zenigata had to wear those elegant, classy, sexy, posh, beautiful-<br/>
He felt the pulse of his communicator in his breast pocket. Plugging the tiny earpiece in and adjusting the mic, he rasped,<br/>
"Everyone on position. Zeni's here and waiting for us to spring into action! You guys run into any trouble?"<br/>
"The only trouble we got is a horny boss, who can't stop drooling over his crush", came Jigen's snarky reply. Lupin scowled.<br/>
"That's not an answer to my question. Goemon, you in place?"<br/>
"We are two minutes and thirty-eight seconds behind schedule", came the samurai's impassionate reply. Lupin swore to himself. It wasn't as if they couldn't still pull this off, but they couldn't pull it off <i>savely</i>. He had planned for a buffer of four minutes eighteen in order for Fujiko to make a clean getaway. And thanks to his clumsy flirting that safety line was cut down to one minute forty seconds.<br/>
"I'm two rooms from alpha, so far the coast is clear. Jigen, cut the communication -now!"<br/>
His earpiece went silent; Lupin had about twenty-four seconds before security realized that this was not merely their system acting up, but that their entire communication network was being jammed on all levels.<br/>
Sweat ran down his temples, his sides were aching and his lungs burned, but just when palace security was about to sound the alarms, he sliddered underneath the massive desk that ruled the ambassador's office and his earpiece came back to life.<br/>
"Boss, you in?" Lupin gasped and wheezed, then tapped his mic thrice.<br/>
All set, roll diversion.</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Too close, too sexy, too hot. Poor Lupin.^^</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. That dress you wear</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Three's a charm, and this time, there are some..repercussion. For lack of a better word.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>That dress you wear</i>
</p><p>Lupin couldn't sleep.<br/>
He threw his legs over the footrest, puffed up the pillows, shook out the blanket, counted sheep, tried meditating, but to no avail.<br/>
A close shave it had been, Fujiko was still pissed at him for screwing up, but they had been sucessful.<br/>
So much, though, they were forced to lay low for several weeks. Then again, who could have guessed that the embassy's antiquated sewage system would just go <i>poof</i> because of a few lousy mines?<br/>
Zenigata had been the hero of the day, not because he had almost managed to catch Lupin and thwart his plans.<br/>
No, because he had saved one <i>principessa,</i> who fell from the balcony she had sat perched on the ledge, when the second detonation had ruptured part of the foundation.<br/>
It was a candid shot, if he had ever seen one; Zenigata cradling the cute young belle in one arm as he catapulted them both out of harm's way.<br/>
Who cared about a sapphire-adorned Fabergé egg, when a D-cupped blonde heiress with a lineage dating back to Pope Bonifatius had barely escaped certain death?<br/>
Lupin wasn't jealous.<br/>
Nope, not at all.<br/>
If he had been jealous, he would have replaced the girl's face with his own image on every media in his vicinity-<br/>
Oh wait.<br/>
He had.<br/>
Ok, so maybe he was a <i>little</i> jealous.<br/>
It wasn't as if he was obsessed with the burly inspector.<br/>
Nope, not at all.<br/>
He had only snatched Zenigata's hankerchief for the fun of it.<br/>
Not because the scent it carried turned him on.<br/>
Nope, not horny.<br/>
Ok, so a little.<br/>
But that was natural, especially for him.<br/>
He took a deep breath, closed his eyes.<br/>
God, but Zenigata had looked so -dashing.<br/>
Like some jilted hero coming to free his love from her prison.<br/>
Lupin gave a longing sigh.<br/>
Maybe he should let himself get captured by Zenigata.<br/>
Just, you know, for a talk.<br/>
Yeah, a talk.<br/>
That was all.</p><p>"Ok, now talk." Jigen Daisuke, age and origins unknown, ex-hitman, bodyguard and gunslinger extraordinaire, was not happy.<br/>
Actually, he was this close to clobbering one Arsène Lupin the Third over this one's pea-brained head.<br/>
Of course Lupin was anything but an idiot, hell, he was in many aspects a straight-up genius, but in matters of the heart...<br/>
Currently, the thief was playing ignorant, tinkering away at gadgets that needed repair. When the third -fourth?- set of cufflink detonators was put back in working order, Jigen slammed his fist on the table Lupin was working at and roared,<br/>
"Next time you wanna play dress-up with Zenigata, don't do it on the job! You almost cost us the haul! Not to mention a truckload of equipment we still coulda used!"<br/>
Lupin fumbled with a broken diving transciever.<br/>
"At least we got the egg, ne."<br/>
"Yeah, we did, but Fujiko lost the files she was supposed to snatch from the ambassador! When d' you decide to screw over our team mate, so you yould screw our enemy?"<br/>
Goemon paused mid-polishing Zantetsuken. Lupin's eyes searched for Jigen's under the wide rim of his hat.<br/>
"Zenigata isn't our enemy", growled the thief. Jigen sneered.<br/>
"Sure ain't our friend, either." Lupin pressed his lips together, recalibrated the built-in amplifier. Jigen lit a cigarette, took a drag and released the smoke to curl around his face.<br/>
"You wanna fuck Zenigata, that's fine by me. But keep your act together, when we're at work. A screw-up like that might cost us next time! Especially if oji-chan can bank on you thinking with your dick!"<br/>
Lupin flinched and Goemon nodded in agreement.<br/>
"Jigen is right, Lupin. You must learn to curb your -cravings," the samurai blushed slightly,<br/>
"or it might be our collective demise."<br/>
Lupin's hands moved faster now, precise, but unneccessary motions, his face stormy.<br/>
"I -I need time to think", he finaly stated, almost too calm. </p><p>He loved Venice, particularly during this time of the year.<br/>
It was still cool enough to warrant a light sweater at night, but weeks before the oppressive heat of summer rushed in and suffocated everything with its humidity and stench of stale <i>canale</i> water.<br/>
Lupin, sporting his classic red jacket and sunglasses, leaved through the <i>gazetta</i>, when he heard someone ask,<br/>
"This seat taken?"<br/>
Lupin glanced up and his every single braincell turned to mush.<br/>
Casual.<br/>
Zenigata wore casual.<br/>
Three-quarter sleeve purple button-up, navy blue slacks and budapesters.<br/>
John-Lennon-style sunglasses tucked into the front of his shirt, the top two buttons opened to show a hint of pectoral muscle.<br/>
Lupin would have to make a very large donation to the <i>gazetta</i>, because the flimsy newspaper was the only thing saving him from being arrested for 'indecent exposure'.<br/>
Of course he had to choose those tight-fitting jeans. No way Zenigata wouldn't pick up on the fact that he, Lupin, had just popped a boner on the <i>Riva di Corintho</i>.<br/>
Gingerly lowering himself upon the thief's inviting motion, Zenigata placed one leg over the other knee and stared out at the Laguna Veneta.<br/>
"What am I to you?"<br/>
It was asked in such a low voice, Lupin almost missed it. Pursing his lips, he mumbled,<br/>
"Hm. Among other things, you're my fiercest rival." Zenigata shot him a sideways glance(and did he have to make a simple look that sexy?) and grumbled,<br/>
"Rival? We're not exactly on the same side of the law, Lupin. Though I don't think 'enemies' fits it either." Lupin muttered,<br/>
"And 'frenemies' doesn't really begin to cover how complex our relationship is."<br/>
Again, silver-laced chestnut brown flitted towards him.<br/>
"Relationship, Lupin?" The younger man elated,<br/>
"Uhn, think about it. We know each other so well, we can basically foresee each other's movements. You're extremely protective of me and the gang, and possessive, too. And we all go out of our way to make sure you won't get caught in the crossfire. "<br/>
His expressive face lit up.<br/>
"I guess it's safe to say that we really, really like you, oji-chan." The burly man peeked over the rim of his glasses.<br/>
"Like..?" Again, Lupin nodded, even more enthusiastically.<br/>
"Hai. Kimi ou daisuki desu, ne." Zenigata frowned, pushing his glasses back up.<br/>
"Liking and loving are two different things, Lupin."<br/>
Lupin nodded once more, sporting a warm, earnest smile.<br/>
"I'm perfectly aware of that." He held Zenigata's gaze.<br/>
"Kimi ou honto daisuki desu, <i>Koichi</i>." For a moment, everything fell silent. In the distance, some boats skidded over the blue-green water, a car drove by. Seagulls shrieked above them.<br/>
"So desu, ne." With a mute groan, Zenigata rose. As Lupin made to move, the inspector said,<br/>
"Don't bother. I got three snipers on every side aiming at you, most of the boats on the laguna are local police and if you think of taking the jet ski down the Lido Canale and exit through the gulf, my men are waiting there, too. You're boxed in, Lupin."<br/>
It was only now the thief realized how utterly..quiet the riva was. No couples, kids, tourists, <i>gelatai°</i>, locals walking their dogs, niente.<br/>
Lupin gave his trademarked smirk.<br/>
"Are we having fun yet?" Zenigata pulled down his glasses, this time it was more akin to a leer he gave.<br/>
"Your turn." For a moment, their eyes locked, a monologue as old as time passing silently back and forth. Then Lupin gave a chuckle.<br/>
"I said it once and I'll say it again. I absolutely <i>love</i> you, Zenigata oji-chan."<br/>
With that he vaulted over the bench, and all hell broke lose.<br/>
The game was back on.</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Here I tried to blend the feel of both 'The last Job' with 'Part lV- The Italian Job'. I hope, I succeeded.<br/>
Also, I'm having a lot of fun looking for everday clothes that fit Zenigata. Our favourite inspector really needs a wardrobe update.</p><p>°gelatai: Italian: ice cream vendors</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. The way you move your body</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A lenghty chapter with some trouble, worries and in-betweens. Don't worry, it will get better, eventually.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>The way you move your body</i>
</p><p>Scorched, singed, battered and bruised.<br/>Zenigata had not been pulling any stops to prevent Lupin from leaving Venice.<br/>Yet, Lupin had once again escaped, but it had come at a price:<br/>he was still in Italy.<br/>Huddled in a forlorn little hut in the deepest wilderness of the Piemontesian highlands, the thief extraordinaire was nursing his wounds and thinking about is next steps. <br/>There was no way for him to communicate with his friends, since he hadn't told them where he went. Of course, with the news coverage they at least knew where to start, but they had two dozen hideouts strewn along the Aegian Sea, alone. <br/>By the time they found him, he would have either starved or frozen to death.<br/>Curling himself tighter into the few blankets the hideout provided, he cursed himself.<br/>Had he really thought that Zenigata would show up for their little tête-à-tête without backup?<br/>Annoyed at himself, the inspector and the world in general, Lupin grumbled to himself. Then his eyes softened.<br/>But damn, if Zenigata hadn't looked good in those slacks and shirt. And that leer he had given him, right before the chaos started...<br/>Lupin felt himself blush and his member stir.<br/>He couldn't jerk himself off; even if the additional heat his body now generated would help keep him warm, without substantial food his metabolism would shut down earlier if he exerted himself before he had healed.<br/>And so Lupin shivered miserably in his cocoon of blankets, willing his wounds to heal faster.</p><p>Zenigata woke with a start.<br/>He dreamt he was standing in a ballroom with Lupin, asking him to dance. Smiling, the thief accepted and as they floated across the floor, a familiar feeling began to rise from the depths of his paining heart. A thing as thin and delicate as a freshly spun spider's web, so fragile, a simple breath could destroy it.<br/>Lupin's dark, warm eyes shimmered, as he said,<br/>"Kimi ou honto daiskui desu, Koichi."<br/>The taller man felt the blood racing to his cheeks -and then an unexpectedly icy shiver ran down his spine. <br/>The last thing he remembered before his eyes snapped open was Lupin's whistful voice, hushing,<br/>"You need to find me, koibito."</p><p>Black, polished shoes sought hold on the rocky path that lead to the obscure hut.<br/>Moving silently, the people approaching the small building took caution not to cause any unneccessary noise.<br/>Ominous backpacks swayed from shoulder to shoulder, as they made their way towards the pitiful house-<br/>A shiny shoetip caught a wire and the person gave a mute, unarticulated curse.<br/>From the front left there was a rustle, a high whistle and then something heavy landed a couple of meters away from the person taking a desperate dive into the bushes and exploded.<br/>"Fuck! Goemon, I thought you'd taken out all the booby traps!"<br/>"Forgive me, I have been sloppy."<br/>"Sloppy won't cover it, if I'm paté. Oy, Lupin, ya in there?"<br/>Crouching, Jigen made his way towards the hut, not bothering with being quiet. Nothing moved.<br/>Goemon, who had joined Jigen, scowled.<br/>"Not even Lupin could sleep through that. Maybe he is not even in?" Jigen grit his teeth.<br/>"He never made it outta Italy, and we checked most other places. If he isn't here, we're running outta options, and fast."<br/>He knocked at the brittle door, shouting,<br/>"Oy, Lupin, we're coming in now, you hear? Don't turn us into noodle sieves."<br/>Still no response, so Jigen pushed the door open and cautiously stepped inside. He couldn't make out anything in the dim sunlight flittering through the rackety shutters, but his ears picked up something like a..rustle. <br/>Perhaps Lupin, perhaps wildlife, perhaps an enemy. Motioning with his chin, he directed Goemon take the right hallway as he turned to the left. Expertly setting one foot in front of the other, magnum on the ready, he moved towards the living room he knew to be there.<br/>"Shit! Goemon, get over here! Hayaku!"<br/>In a breeze the samurai was at his side, stopping dead in his tracks at the sight:<br/>Lupin, rolled up in comforters and sheets like a pig-in-blankets, lay on the floor. His sweat-covered face was pale, yellowish and hollow, a slight stubble dusting his cheeks and jaw.<br/>A sound like a broken rattle came from his throat with every breath he took, the effort obviously taxing, if his pained expression was anything to go by.<br/>The layers of cloth he had wrapped himself in were soaked and dirty, stained with blood, sweat, food crumbs, spilled drinks, pus and waste.<br/>Jigen dumped his backpack on the floor, shaking Lupin gently.<br/>"Hey! Hey! Lupin, come on, man! Wake up! We're here! We're gonna get you out of this, you hear? Wake up, Lupin!"<br/>Paperlike eyelids fluttered, then opened to reveal tired, feverish orbs.<br/>"Ji..gen? That you?" Relieved, the gunman nodded.<br/>"Yeah, and Goemon's here, too. We came to get you outta this dirthole, back into civilization." The master thief gave a small, relieved sigh, then muttered,<br/>"Gotta tell..tell Zeni..I'm fine..."<br/>He passed out, and try as they might, Jigen and Goemon couldn't wake him up again.</p><p>Zenigata hadn't slept well in weeks.<br/>In all honesty, he had not slept well since he had first begun hunting down Lupin, all those years ago, but the past three weeks had been particularly unnerving.<br/>The last time he had felt like this was, when he had walked into his old home, after weeks abroad, to find it dark and empty, his wife and daughter gone. Missing clothes, toys, memorabilia, the warmth a place spreads when it is being lived in.<br/>It didn't take a detective to know what had happened, and until the papers had been served, until she had placed her wedding ring in front of him as she walked out the lawyer's office and his life, Zenigata had been in a constant limbo of hope and despair.<br/>But at least then he had known that his wife and daughter were safe, that he could just pick up the phone and apologize, make promises he had every intention to and no power to keep, an address he could send letter and cards to. <br/>But now...<br/>No one knew.<br/>The last footage of him had shown Lupin's paraglider being torn apart by gunfire halfways to <i>La Giuddecca</i> and the fugitive falling into the water at a devastating speed. The entire lagoon had been searched with a fine-toothed comb, but nothing had been found save for the thief's clothes.<br/>Fujiko had made an appearance, but it had been so negligible, even his superiours couldn't be bothered looking into it.<br/>Normaly he wasn't this..unsettled, when Lupin disappeared, so why the change? <br/>Because...<i>Koichi</i>.<br/>Lupin had called him Koichi.<br/>Just thinking about how his given name had rolled off the thief's tongue made his chest tighten uncomfortably, unwelcome, with a desperate need and almost nauseating fear.<br/>What should he do, when they next ran into each other?<br/>What would he do, if Lupin never returned again?<br/>How would his life look like, if the master cambrioleur had given his last perfor-<br/>No, not like that.<br/>Never like that.<br/>Lupin would never go down, never die in such a poor manner. His dérnière would be an <i>extravaganza</i>, a spectacle to behold. Something like stealing the Crown Lewels while wearing Tutechnaton's mask and flying away on the <i>Spirit of St. Louis</i> and have the small flyer remote land in Area 51, to never be seen or heard of again.<br/>Lupin was still alive out there.<br/>Perhaps in peril, perhaps in mortal danger, but alive.<br/>Zenigata just knew.</p><p>"Cascina Muradora? Where's that supposed to be?"<br/>"Northern Italy, somewhere in the greater Turin area."<br/>"Define 'greater'."<br/>"Some thirty kilometers beeline from the city. He's in a small, private clinic. We weren't sure it's him, but apparently a 'tall, Asian guy' keeps him company. Another man with beard and ponytail is in charge of finances and administration."<br/>"<i>Ponytail</i>? You've got to be kidding me."<br/>"Nope. Has the local ladies all twittery and excited, although he hardly speaks and barely acknowledges them. Gruff, polite, silent-"<br/>"Jigen."<br/>"Or Goemon. It fits either."<br/>"No. Goemon is earnest, reserved. Jigen is gruff, sometimes harsh. Jigen's also second-in-command, so he's the one calling the shots right now."<br/>"As long as he doesn't shoot at you..."<br/>"Been there, done that. If he had wanted, he could have killed me more times than I care to count."<br/>"But then-"<br/>"Nevermind. I can find my way from here on. Thank you for the information."<br/>"Dou itashimashite. And inspector?"<br/>"Yes?"<br/>"Be careful."<br/>"I always am."</p><p>He awoke to the chirping of birds and the tickling of soft sunrays on his face, as almost every morning in the past two? three? weeks.<br/>Occassionally, it had been the pitter-patter of rain tapping against the sturdy old windows that raised him from slumber, but unerringly the noises had been soft, balming, lulling him back to sleep moments after he had awoken.<br/>Today, something was..different.<br/>Something disturbed the peace, the serenity.<br/>A presence, large, larger than life, almost opressive, but benevolent and protective. Lupin blinked and let his head loll about, searching for the disturbance. His gaze came to rest on a shadow in a seat that was propped up next to his bed, and his eyes widened.<br/>Zenigata?<br/>Why-where was Goemon? Or Jigen? It was always one of them when he awoke, so why was Zenigata in their place, arms crossed, hat pulled over his eyes, and sleeping?<br/>He shifted slightly and winced, when he felt the muscles in his back protest.<br/>"Lay down. Doctor said there's nothing much he can do, but let nature run its course."<br/>Deep, dark, a growl rumbling through the massive chest. Lupin paused.<br/>"How.." His voice failed him and he tried anew.<br/>"How did you find me?" The large man didn't move.<br/>"Connections. Network. I'm still Interpol, remember?" Eyes, encircled by large bags, flittered across the room.<br/>"But..I covered my tracks...mingled with tourists..." Zenigata grunted.<br/>"It was clear, in your condition, you couldn't make it North through the Alpes into either Austria or Switzerland. This time of the year, the chance of sudden winter onsets is pretty high. And since you knew that we would search all waterways and airlines, the only possibility left was for you to sneak South-West past the border into France. Since you're French by birth, the local authorities probably would have looked the other way. Only you never made it there." This time, broad shoulders flexed, but the hat stayed in place. Lupin scowled.<br/>"Aren't you gonna look at me?" he asked. Zenigata remained motionless.<br/>"No."<br/>"No?" Zenigata didn't move.<br/>"No, because if I look at you, I'll get angry. And I don't want to get angry at you, when you're still reconvalescing." Lupin sat there, stunned, then smirked.<br/>"You're just a big old softie underneath that hat and badge, ne?" Another smirk, just barely visible, peeked from underneath the rim of the brown hat.<br/>"Don't be too sure about that, Arséne."</p><p>Jigen, cheek resting in his palm, grumbled.<br/>"How's this system work again, he said?" Goemon, in a semi-meditative state, replied,<br/>"Simple. If you try to pick your lock, my necklace explodes. If I try to pry mine, your head will be detached from your body. If we move more than two meters apart or away from any monitoring device-"<br/>"Arigatou, I get the details." Again, he grumbled, his need for nicotine making him cranky.<br/>"And after all the trouble we went through saving and nursing Lupin back to life. Oji-chan's got some nerve." Goemon straightened minutely.<br/>"I am certain, Zenigata ultimately will be grateful." Jigen side-eyed him.<br/>"You sure?" The younger man nodded.<br/>"Remember, while we saved Lupin's life, its is only the inspector who can heal his heart. And right now, I believe that's the most important." Jigen snorted, reaching for his breast pocket and coming up empty. His fingers reflexively went through the motions of rolling an inexistent cigarette.<br/>"I guess, oji-chan has some healing of his own to do, ne?" His eyes wandered over to his teammate, then a sly grin blossomed on his features.<br/>"So, if the maximum distance on these collars is two meters, what's the minimum?" he asked. Goemon, slightly puzzled, replied,<br/>"I'm not certain. I don't think there is such a thing..."<br/>"Perfect", stated Jigen, as he launched himself at the unsuspecting Goemon and brought them both down on the cot they were sitting on.<br/>Note: the collars have no minimum distance regulation... </p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>Figured Jigen and Goemon deserved a little something for their troubles. As for Lupin and Zenigata...stay tuned.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. You make me feel like dancing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I'm baaaaa~aaaack! With a huge-long chapter full of fluff and trite clichées and chuckles and lemon, too-Enoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>You make me feel like dancing</i>
</p><p>Fujiko "bailed" them out on transit from Rome to Tokyo.<br/>
Well, Fujiko with the help of some...workmates, who owned them some favours. Once they had hijacked the mainframe controlling the collars, they sprung them free.<br/>
Jigen and Goemon were quick to toss the contraptions and split up, before their guards even clued in that their captives were already being channeled through the relais.<br/>
And for once the blame couldn't be placed at Zenigata's feet, because his superiours had compelled him to guard Lupin, and Lupin <i>solely</i>.<br/>
So, while the commissioner-in-chief had to explain on TV how he had managed to let two famous criminals escape en route to a secret high-security military cargo flight, Zenigata was munching canoli, inbetween spoon-feeding Lupin chicken broth while, well, playing armchair.<br/>
Broad back leaning against the pillowed headboard, Zenigata had Lupin safely encaged between his legs. Who used the Inspector's wide chest as a cushion and this one's powerful thighs as armrest.<br/>
"Ne, open up", demanded Zenigata, and Lupin happily obliged.<br/>
He was no stranger to luxury, had been born and raised in considerable wealth, but never had any accomodation felt this comfortable or any food tasted even remotely as delicious as the <i>brodo di pollo alla nonna</i> his crush fed him. Chewing, swallowing, enjoying the taste and texture of the meat, vegetables and broth, Lupin was as happy as he could be.<br/>
Considering he had just gotten over a very serious open bronchitis, that meant a lot.<br/>
He had lost weight and his cheekbones were still too prominent, but the healthy flush across his face was a good sign.<br/>
He ate more than half his bowl, before he decided he was full. Zenigata forced him to drink the special tea the doctor had ordered("even with honey you could scare away a hyena with this crap", stated Lupin), then fretted and pampered the still week thief, until this one was basically reduced to a sleepy, sated cat roll. Which he then wrapped in his long arms and held until Lupin fell asleep, a content smile painted on his face.</p><p>When Lupin started growing antsy, Zenigata knew, it was time to leave.<br/>
Their forced vacation had done wonders to the Inspector's mental and also physical health. His blood pressure and insomnia had improved, his caffeine addiction was under control and overall, his skin and hair looked healthy and smooth.<br/>
He was also much calmer, more patient and nowhere as hot-tempered as usual, and his now more lenient smiles wrecked havoc on one master thief's equilibrium.<br/>
Had he thought Zenigata was a hunk before, he now spent hours watching the older man work, sleep, write reports, do sit-ups(damn, the guy must be related to a ninja. That age and still doing two sets of twenty-five in under two minues?) and just basically, being Zenigata Koichi.<br/>
It was how he found out that the Inspector required glasses(so sexy) when reading fine print, and absolutely loved <i>°raku-yaki<i>, though he could hardly afford it.<br/>
When Lupin offered him one for his next birthday, Zenigata merely cocked a brow and told him that he couldn't accept gifts from a well-known, or <i>any</i> criminal, even if the gift had been bought fair and square. Lupin had pouted a bit at this, then issued a standing invitation to take Zenigata to the best restaurant in, well, anywhere his heart desired. Again, Zenigata declined, until Lupin gave him a grin, <i>that</i> grin, and purred,<br/>
"It's no really a present when we're on a date, ne?"<br/>
Zenigata, who had been scibbling down notes, had a ballpen accident, as his hand lost any semblance of control and tore through the paper, leaving a flurry of ink and scrawled illegible patterns on the desk.<br/>
Zenigata paused a moment to look at the mess, then slowly turned to stare at a smirking Lupin.<br/>
"A date? Why would you want to go out on a date with <i>me</i>, of all people?"<br/>
Playing coy, the thief batted his eyelashes and cooed,<br/>
"Why would anybody <i>not</i> want to go out on a date with you? You're tall, strong, handsome, kind, honest, fun, caring, devoted..."<br/>
He chuckled, as he watched the inspector grow more flustered with every word he said. Aww, did oji-chan really have no clue how utterly cute he was? At all? Did this big man look in the mirror, day in, day out, and consider himself to be no more than a soldier, a tool in the army of justice?<br/>
It saddened Lupin; while Zenigata was all that and more(and also hopelessly naïve at times), it appeared that, at some point or another, <i>Inspector</i> Zenigata had suppressed Zenigata <i>Koichi</i> to the point that this one barely knew who he was, anymore.<br/>
He was pretty certain that Zenigata knew all their pet peeves, preferances and achille's heels by heart; the kind of women Lupin preffered, Jigen's favourite whiskey, Goemon's most reffered to Haiku master, Fujiko's ultimately adored style of jewelry...<br/>
and he had only recently discovered that the inspector wore glasses at times. Despite wearing his emotions on his sleeve, there was very little known about Zenigata Koichi, the person. It irked him, roused his curiousity, and when Lupin got curious, he wanted-<br/>
"Penny for your thoughts?" Lupin flinched. Zenigata was close to him, too close. The thief gulped and smiled,<br/>
"Ne, just wondering what your favourite dish is." Zenigata regarded him quietly, and Lupin felt like the proverbial rabbit facing the snake. He was completely paralized, barely able to breath and all the time his brain screamed,<br/>
'Kiss him! Kiss him! Now! Do it! Go for it!' Silver-studded mahogany held his own deep brown ones, and Lupin felt his lungs constrict. If he didn't start breathing soon, he would simply pass out. Either from lack of oxygen or the floodgate of raw sexual <i>hunger</i> Zenigata invoked with his inquisitive gaze. Finally, the taller man pulled back and replied,<br/>
"I don't have any. I do enjoy katsudon and shogayaki, but am just as satisfied with pizza or a dozen burritos."<br/>
"Ever had bortscht?" Oh great, because that was such a date food. Unsurprising, Zenigata nodded.<br/>
"And pirozkhi. As well as solyanka, pelmeni and blini. Though I'm not too fond of caviar."<br/>
Scandalized, Lupin piped up,<br/>
"But-but- caviar is the feast of kings! The ambrosia of the nobles! How can one not absolutely love caviar!" A tilt of his lips, as the other man replied,<br/>
"Perhaps because I prefer real ambrosia." Lupin sat stunned, until he saw the glint in Zenigata's eyes. A smile, nigh on naughty, appeared.<br/>
"Do you also like nectar?" Husky, probing. Silver darkened.<br/>
"Depends." An octave deeper, Lupin's heart soared. Zenigata was now close enough for their sideburns to brush together.<br/>
"On what?" His own voice pressed, daring, inviting. A low rumble of a chuckle, Lupin's member hardened painfully in response.<br/>
"Where it stems from." Warm, surprisingly soft lips tickled his jawline, the side of his neck, tested his pulse, carressed his collarbone, sought his shoulder.<br/>
Lupin had half a mind to carry his love over to the bed, dump him unceremoniously on the matress and tear off his clothes, but he restrained himself. Better to let Zenigata take the lead, safe the bulky man grew flustered and retreated.<br/>
No, not Zenigata.<br/>
Not oji-chan.<br/>
<i>Koichi</i>.<br/>
This was Koichi, mapping his neck, his body with curious fingers. For a moment Lupin was confused; when had he taken off his shirt? Then Koichi's rough fingers tweaked a nipple and Lupin couldn't give a fuck about all the shirts in the world.<br/>
His own clever digits drove through Zenigata's short black mane, down his soon-to-be-lover's face, the heavy chest and dipped into the waistband of this one's slacks. One brawny hand stopped him. Zenigata drew back, cheeks that adorable rosy flush Lupin had come to love so much, and asked in a shy voice,<br/>
"Are-are you sure about this? Because once I start, I won't stop."<br/>
And this time Lupin went all-out ecchi, when he rasped,<br/>
"I believe, that's <i>my</i> line."<br/>
Everything after that was a blur; hot breaths against hotter skin, clothes shed, shred and discarded, the bed dipping under their combined weight and eventually, Lupin found himself on his back, legs wrapped tightly around Zenigata's waist.<br/>
Zenigata, who was panting for air, searching Lupin's face for..something, then rasping,<br/>
"It's -I've never been with a man before."<br/>
Did he hear a bell ring?<br/>
Did his stomach flip-flop?<br/>
Did his heart try to somersault right out of his chest?<br/>
Did his cock go from wide awake to roaring tiger in record time?<br/>
Check all boxes and try not to spook the virgin. He wanted nothing more than to flip the large man on his back, sit astride and fuck him like a bloody stallion, but curbed his eagerness. Instead, he mumbled,<br/>
"Don't worry, I'll walk you through it." Zenigata cocked a brow.<br/>
"I know the theory, but I've never actually..."<br/>
"Don't worrry, I'll guide you."Lupin pulled a variation of his leap out of your clothes-trick, then reached for Zenigata's boxers and pulled them down.<br/>
"Holy shit!" he exclaimed. Zenigata went beet red.<br/>
It was -ok, it wasn't impressive, but actually just <i>huge</i>.<br/>
As in Houston, we got a <i>serious</i> problem.<br/>
"Damn, how do you walk with this thing?" whispered Lupin awed. If possible, Zenigata reddend even more. Embarassed, he tried to withdraw, mumbling,<br/>
"I- figured this would happen. Most people have the same reaction..."<br/>
"Oh no, you won't!" ordered Lupin, pulling the large man closer.<br/>
"I went through all that trouble to get with you and now you wanna bail out?" He shook a finger.<br/>
"Not in this lifetime, oji-chan." Zenigata winced.<br/>
"Could you stop calling me that when we're..intimate. It makes me feel kind of -awkward."<br/>
Lupin blinked, then chuckled and finally burst out laughing.<br/>
And promptly went into a coughing fit. Zenigata patted him on the back and got him some water. Finally, Lupin regained his composure and sighed,<br/>
"Haaah, that's why I love you so much, Zenigata. Your mind just constantly makes the worst associations and goes straight for the gutter."<br/>
He felt the smirk against his earshell.<br/>
"Guess, dealing with you must have rubbed off on me." A shiver ran down his spine, but Lupin was faster; his hand had wrapped around the hardening shaft between Zenigata's legs, their lips crushing together.<br/>
Moans, nips, teeth, skin, something slick and warm against his stomach...Lupin felt his body alight with fire, unbridled passion.<br/>
He had always been a very sexual being, but this was different than anything he had ever experienced.<br/>
Zenigata was just -intense. Eyes, like silver stars in the night, bore into his, tried to decipher him, read him, dismantle layer upon layer of the man Arsène Lupin.<br/>
His breath caught in his throat; it wasn't much different from what he usually did to people, but Zenigata's single-minded focus pinned Lupin down and made him feel raw and vulnerable, this time in all the good ways.<br/>
He held the gaze, his hands roaming all over the trim body above him, teasing and stroking the massive length Zenigata held mere fingerbroads above Lupin's navel. A single drop of precum found its way onto Lupin's stomach and the thief hissed as if having been sprayed with acid. He could feel Zenigata's want, his need in that one tiny, glistening droplet and just snapped.<br/>
Draping his arms around the strong neck, he growled,<br/>
"Fuck me. Fuck me like you mean it and if you stop before I'm done, I'll tie you to the fucking bed and screw your brains out, ya hear?"<br/>
Long pale legs locked around tan hips, giving them no leeway.<br/>
Zenigata tilted a brow, then a slow smile blossomed on his face.<br/>
"Do you have any lu-"<br/>
"Nightstand, top drawer, front 'n' center. I asked the nurse for some extra aloe vera against my dry skin." Again, the brow rose.<br/>
"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you planned for this to happen." Releasing his hold on Zenigata's hip, Lupin hooked his left leg over Zenigata's shoulder and rasped,<br/>
"Trust me, if I had, we'd be screwing like rabbits over in St. Tropéz instead of a hospital in some lost little mountain village. Now get to it."<br/>
Zenigata smirked and kneeled, uncapping the bottle and pouring some onto his fingers.<br/>
"More" demanded Lupin. Zenigata obeyed, but Lupin insisted,<br/>
"More. Much more. That's a whole lotta cock you're gonna push inside, so use enough-eep!" Zenigata had drizzled some of the clear gel on Lupin's stomach. Upon the heated glare, he grinned,<br/>
"Prewarming." He sobered up, cautiously rubbed two digits into the small pool in his palm, then gently pressed one finger against Lupin's opening.<br/>
Lupin grappled for a pillow and shimmied it underneath his raised hips. He focused on Zenigata's face, the warmth he provided, the strong set of his jaw and then one finger was pushed in.<br/>
Lupin flinched; while it hadn't hurt, it did show him that he was out of practice. Zenigata's finger moved back and forth, not quite knuckle-deep but gradually getting there.<br/>
"Uhhn, you sure you've never done this before?" moaned Lupin. Zenigata bit his lip.<br/>
"Read and watched, but this is my first time on-hand. Why, am I that bad?"<br/>
"Babe, any better, I'd think you're a professional pornstar!"<br/>
He would never grow tired of <i>his</i> Inspector's blushes. Lupin opened his mouth for a comment -and his head flew backwards, as Zenigata pushed his finger in all at once.<br/>
"Oohoo, shit, yes.." The blush intensified, but Zenigata kept his mind on track. Gently pushing back and forth, he crooked his finger, testing around until Lupin gave a yelp like a startled ferret.<br/>
"Like that?" mumbled Zenigata and Lupin nodded frantically.<br/>
"Oh yeah, can you that again..maybe another million times?"<br/>
His request was promptly met, and in mere moments Zenigata dared to probe his second finger against the losening orifice. Again, he was swiftly granted access and was quick to begin scissoring his fingers.<br/>
Lupin, moaned, groaned, cheered and sighed and basically sounded like a one-man-porn-track. He could feel Zenigata's third finger demand entrance and rehooked his left foot over the other man's broad shoulder.<br/>
"Wait, this should give you better access-shit, that's much! I-we need more-lube, Koichi!"<br/>
Thick fingers trembled inside the thief's passage at the name; hastily more lube was coaxed to dribble down the long digits into Lupin's waiting gap.<br/>
"Mrr..hot-cold intervalls, I hear ya.." muttered Lupin dreamily, as Zenigata moved and twisted his fingers inside him, stretching, turning and expanding until Lupin called it off.<br/>
"Get on with the show, man." Lupin's voice was thick with need and hunger, and Zenigata swallowed hard. Quickly he added more lube to his hand and spread it over his hardened cock, coating it with a glistening sheen.<br/>
Lupin eyed the massive erection with a blend of trepidation and absolute ravenous lust. Before Zenigata could react, he had locked his long legs around this one's hips and brought the startled Zenigata into position.<br/>
"Now, let's play bad cop, naughty thief. Time to punish me." He caught Zenigata's lips in a dazzling kiss, his heels forcing the Inspector forward against his winking, desperate hole.<br/>
"Haa.sss..fhhooo..shiiit..damnnn.."<br/>
Lupin literally saw stars, when Zenigata pushed the fat bulb past his outer ring.<br/>
Three fingers had been bad enough. One cock was almost too much. Fuck, where on earth did Zenigata get this girth from? A bull? Stallion? Or maybe whale.<br/>
"Fuu-huuck..."<br/>
Zenigata gazed worriedly at the thief; Lupin sported an expression that could have been either utter agony or near-orgasmic bliss. He waited, but all Lupin did was gurgle incoherent sounds. With a sigh, Zenigata pulled out again.<br/>
"What the hell d' you think you're doing?" yelled Lupin.<br/>
"Put that thing back where it belongs, or I'll tie you to the bed and do it myself!"<br/>
Eyes wide, a startled Zenigata blinked at a rather -perturbing looking Lupin, then shrugged his broad shoulders and pushed back in.<br/>
Again, that outdrawn, deep moan, and this time it was clearly satisfaction. Zenigata forced himself deeper into the warm, wet tunnel, as Lupin began clawing at sheets and pillows.<br/>
"More, more -fuck, gimme more, put that -whole monster inside me..!"<br/>
Zenigata smirked, unerringly wedging himself further, watching in fascination as Lupin first began to pant, then groan.<br/>
"Lookit you, aren't you a horny little slut?"<br/>
He couldn't believe he had just said those words. It was as if a dam had broken; all of Zenigata's insecurities, hesitance, bashfulness and good manners washed away with that one sentence, leaving behind a raw, crude sludge of utter filth. He gave a haughty smirk, started a slow, gentle rythm.<br/>
"All these years you've been playing this high-and-mighty master thief, when in real you're just a horny bitch." Lupin looked up at him, eyes wide and confused.<br/>
Heated lips touched a hotter ear, a deep, rumbling bass rasping,<br/>
"So tell me, are you my bitch, hm? Are you my sweet little whore I can fuck and bone as much as I want?"<br/>
"Yes, yes, bone me, fuck me, mark me, take me home, anything! Do me like an animal or an alien or whatever, I don't care, just fuck me already!"<br/>
Zenigata was amazed that Lupin was still coherent enough to structure complete sentences. Judging by his feverish eyes and complete lack of restraint the inspector was sure, the thief was about to suffer a cranial meltdown.<br/>
This time, the grin was definetly hungry.<br/>
"Ne, then let's screw <i>your</i> brains out, my cute little slut."<br/>
With that he pushed in, hard, all the way, and Lupin screamed. Hastily Zenigata clasped one hand over the thief's mouth; he had to silence Lupin safe the orderlies came running, thinking the master thief was being skinned alive or worse.<br/>
Supporting himself on one hand, breathing heavily, he remained frozen in position, waiting if anyone would came rushing in to see what went down.<br/>
He could feel Lupin gasping, groaning into his palm, then kissing and licking it.<br/>
Zeigata pulled away with a mute yelp and gazed down at Lupin.<br/>
Holy hell.<br/>
When had Eros decided to take over Lupin's body?<br/>
Or maybe he was dealing with a succubus? Because those eyes were practically glowing with lust and the grin was barely this side of sane.<br/>
"Finally," Zenigata gulped nervously at the drop in octaves,<br/>
"that's what I call a <i>real</i> man." Zenigata didn't even have time to blush when long fingers wrapped around his bizepses and Lupin purred,<br/>
"Fuck me. Fuck me like you hunt me, or I swear by everything holy I'll steal every last thing you hold close and dear in this world."<br/>
Zenigata Koichi does not take kindly to being threatened. Wrapping one arm around the smaller man's waist, his left hand sought for support on the headrest. Lips ghosted across lips, a dangerous rumble.<br/>
"I will break you."<br/>
The kiss punctuated the first thrust. The second, third and fourth. Breaking apart for air, Zenigata readjusted his position. He was going to destroy the bed, the matress, sheets, everything and wreck the naughty thief. His lips trailed hot fire down Lupin's jawline, neck, collarbone. A pale, slender shoulder found itself adorned with a circle of blossoming red, a nipple was teased, pinched, its twin not escaping the gentle mistreatment.<br/>
It barely registered in Lupin's brain, his entire being was focused on the wet, sloppy sounds of flesh against flesh as he felt Zenigata's gorgeous member stretch him wide open.<br/>
Lupin gasped out a laugh; his crush made love the way he ate: ravenous, large quantities, trying everything on the buffet and going in for seconds and thirds.<br/>
And yet at the same time, Zenigata kept an eye out for the small, hidden delicacies, the inobtrusive gems that made the whole experience worthwhile.<br/>
It was that attention to detail, that made him so good- oh fuck. Oh shitshitshitshitshitshit... he didn't just- He hadn't-?<br/>
Zenigata pulled up a whole register of slurs even Lupin was unfamilar with, calling him every filthy, dirty, uncouth name under the sun while reminding him over and over again that Lupin was <i>his</i>, and <i>only</i> his.<br/>
It crossed Lupin's mind that 'being fucked to death' might very well be more than just a wordplay. Zenigata had changed his angle and was now brutally grinding away at Lupin's prostate. He could feel the heat pooling in his lower stomach, accompanied by the rod of hot flesh battering against his insides, Zenigata's low, needy grunts tickling his ear and knew he must be sporting the dumbest grin in mankind's history.<br/>
Zenigata switched arms, thus tilting his angle and Lupin's eyes rolled back in his head.<br/>
'I'm..going out..with a..bang...' was his last coherent thought, and then he screamed.<br/>
He roared, trying to vocalize the way his orgasm washed over him like a tidal wave, drowned out everything else; Zenigata's low, growling call, the throbbing of the cock inside him spewing forth a month's worth of seed, his own sperm glazing himself and his lover...<br/>
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  <i>
    <i>
When he came to, the room was bright and sunny. Zenigata sat there in his chair, looking positively guilty while trying to fight a slight smirk that just didn't seem to want to stay gone.<br/>
Lupin grinned.<br/>
"Damn, that was a great fuck", he grasped, and chuckled, when Zenigata almost jumped three feet out of his skin and blushed a lovely shade of raspberry.<br/>
Clearing his throat, the Inspector said,<br/>
"Yes, well, uhm, sorry about that. Guess I got a bit carried away, there."<br/>
"Mhhrrr, you can carry me away any day y' like babe", Lupin purred, knowing that Zenigata could do so with ease, both figuratively and literally.<br/>
Scratching the back of his head, the older man gave an embarassed chuckle.<br/>
"I'd rather not. The doctor already gave me an earful about mistreating you. Said it was much too early for any kind of -streinous activity."<br/>
Lupin snorted.<br/>
"Doctors, what do they know. I feel great! Nothing like a good shag to get you back on track, ne?"<br/>
Zenigata grimaced, face flushing anew. Lupin smirked.<br/>
"Guess you gave the nurses quite an eyeful, ne? Probably all volunteered to step in for me. Not that I can blame them." He crossed his arms behind his head and squinted an eye at Zenigata.<br/>
"As long as you don't take them up on their offer, that is."<br/>
Gods, how could someone so strong, proud, fierce and dominant be so sweet, shy and bashful at the same time? Zenigata squirmed and shifted in his seat, avoided eye contact and looked ready to either burst into flames or out the door or both.<br/>
Lupin could have eaten him up with a spoon, right then and there. His heart swelled until it overflowed, threatened to drown him in this soft, warm, cushy feeling that trickled throughout his being, from the roots of his hair to the tips of his fingers.<br/>
"Oi, Koichi", he said softly. Zenigata's head snapped up at his given name.<br/>
"A-Arsène?" Lupin couldn't help the chuckle.<br/>
"Definetly need to work on that accent of yours. Come here."<br/>
He patted the side of his bed and scooted over to make way for Zenigata. No sooner had the large man laid down, Lupin was rubbing up against him, nuzzling his face into the firm, broad chest. Smiling happily, he whispered,<br/>
"That was amazing. You're amazing. Promise we'll do it again as soon as possible."<br/>
A snort and a warm chuckle in return, a large, brawny hand gently caressing a slender arm.<br/>
"Once the doctor gives his okay, sure. Just try to keep still for a while, ne?" Lupin tore is head away.<br/>
"Keep still? Me? Ha! I am Arsène Lupin the Third, and I go where I want, when and how I want! Watch!"<br/>
He threw back the covers, ignoring Zenigata's weak protest, mind set to clamber over this one's sturdy form.<br/>
And then the pain set in.<br/>
°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Yes, I have a Zeni-size-kink. Can you blame me? Yes? See if I care. Sorry for taking so long; I wanted to finish 'Chibi' first, but then got sidetracked by some other plot bunnies in the line-up and..you know the rest.<br/>
</i>
  </i>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. When you move your body</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>So sorry, I got sidetracked. Here's a little set-up chapter; slow and quiet before we get back ito action. Enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>When you move your body</i>
</p><p>"It's really not half-bad", stated Lupin, as he looked over the valleys and hills surounding them. Zenigata, hands in his pockets, hmmed.<br/>
Lupin shot the bulky man a look; off-white t-shirt, open, dove-blue button-down with elbow-length sleeves, stonewashed jeans...everything was wide and too tight in all the right places. The button-down hid the lovehandles where the t-shirt emphasized the buff chest and broad shoulders, the jeans snug and comfortable on the long, muscular legs.<br/>
The whole attire easily shaved twenty years off Zenigata, and Lupin was brimming with pride at having managed to snatch himself such a perfect specimen of a man.<br/>
"So, when are you breaking out?" Zenigata's voice shook him from his reverie. Clearing his throat and head(down, boy), he replied,<br/>
"Wednesday. Why? Is that too early?" Zenigata tried to shrug nonchalantly, but failed miserably.<br/>
"Friday would be better. Lots of weirdos on the street, the guys'll be in over their heads with drunk idiots, cokeheads and partygoers who don't realize the party's over." Lupin smirked.<br/>
"Are you giving me tips on how to bust outta jail? You, of all people?" Zenigata shook his head, slightly deflated.<br/>
"No, but..you need to stay in jail long enough for me to get sent on another case. Or at least, until I'm out of the country." Lupin pouted.<br/>
"You just want the fame of having caught the infamous Lupin lll, without the blame of letting him escape again, ne?"<br/>
Silver-brown, encircled by long lashes, twinkled mischievously.<br/>
"Friday is also a public holiday. Think..Mardi Gras, but smaller. And less organized."<br/>
Dark brown twinkled back.<br/>
"You know, I'm beginning to see why you manage to keep up with me. You think like a crook." Zenigata smirked.<br/>
"Gotta think like a fox to catch a fox." Lupin grinned, his wide, charismatic, joyful grin.<br/>
"Friday it is, then."</p><p>Three days.<br/>
Three days long ICPO and Zenigata in particular had been praised up and down the press at having finally managed to bring Lupin lll to justice.<br/>
Zenigata, humble honest man that he was, confessed that it was a lucky streak which had led him to stumble upon the reconvalescing master thief, but of course, no one really cared. On the pictures, Lupin looked healthy, though a bit thinner and paler than in Venice, as Zenigata led him past the throng of police, reporters and officials into the specially designed truck.<br/>
Interpol had not been messing around this time; Lupin was forced to sit down and place his feet on two marked spots on the floor. The second his soles touched the cold surface, a recess opened. He planted both feet on the ground to stop from falling forward-<br/>
and found them encased in what was part of the van's floor. Before he had time to gather his wits, three officers were on him, pressed him against the wall and before he knew it, he was part of the van's inner layout. He glanced down at his body; his entire midsection down to his hips was clasped in a solid steel ring. There were no groves, indentations, nothing to jostle a pin or paperclip into. His arms were attached in a similar fashion left and right to his head, his hands encased in mittens.<br/>
Steel mittens.<br/>
With barely enough space to flex his fingers.<br/>
Zenigata gave a low whistle.<br/>
"They weren't kidding when they told me they were bringing in the 'Fly Trap'. Count yourself lucky they didn't bring the 'Pharao's Chest'". He made quotation marks. Lupin cocked a brow.<br/>
"Do I want to know?" Zenigata shrugged.<br/>
"Basically, they strap you into a steel box and close the lid. It has an air vent, so breathing's not a problem. Of course, if you're afraid of the dark or confined spaces..." Lupin gulped. Zenigata gave him a warm, reassuring smile.<br/>
"Don't worry, that one's only for serial killers and terrorists and the likes. You're pretty safe where you are."<br/>
He lowered himself on a seat close to Lupin and added,<br/>
"Just don't try to escape, ok? These restraints are wired, and if you try anything funny, you'll zap yourself."<br/>
"What?" screeched Lupin enraged,"and you let them lock me into this? What kinda cop are you? That's torture! Inhumane punish-yeeaarrhzzhh!"<br/>
Zenigata propped one arm on his knee and rested his head on his palm.<br/>
"It also goes off when you start raging and screaming."</p><p>He was in Maracaido, scoping out a drug ring that ran its traffic from Bolivia all the way up to Venezuela through a web of routes mostly only known to the native tribes, when the news broke.<br/>
Lupin had escaped, eight days after Inspector Zenigata had left for South America, and this time he couldn't cut himself lose. He was a °D.U.C.K.; if he blew his cover now, years and thousands of hours of manpower, not to mention hundreds of thousands of ruined lives, would have been sacrificed for nothing.<br/>
So instead, he lay low, sifting through the swamp of ever-growing footmen and henchmen and greedy cops and kids with hungry eyes and people with empty faces...<br/>
By the time he emerged on the other side, they had managed to shut down the whole operation and bring a majority of the ring leaders to justice. The others who weren't going to jail...let's say, vigilantism is still well and alive in South America.<br/>
Zenigata boarded the plane in Caracas to LA. 
His team had been victorious, but he felt no triumph at all. Instead, he felt weighed down by the abyss of human tragedy he had witnessed during the past eight month. As he sat in his comfortable chair- Interpol had rewarded him with Business Class for his great work- he thought back to the previous summer, which now seemed a lifetime ago.<br/>
Soft breezes, cold rains, birds tweeting in blossoming trees, the tranquility and majesty of the mountain range...<br/>
And then he saw dark brown eyes, a cunning, but sweet smile, soft lips and hot kisses, the feel of Lupin's scar-freckled skin shivering under his fingertips, sweat on his pale brow as he urged him to go deeper, faster, the sting of the thief's fingernails in his back and shoulders, the way-<br/>
"Prepare for landing." He jerked awake; how long had he been asleep?<br/>
Glancing out the window he could make out the lights of the airport below leaping up at him. Within thirty-five minutes, he had made it through customs and was now heading for the exit. Just as he made to walk through the door, a hand wrapped around his wrist and a familiar voice said,<br/>
"I don't think so."</p><p>Startled dark eyes stared into smiling darker ones and then Lupin dropped his duffle bag and practically wrapped himself around Zenigata.<br/>
"Oh my goodness, it's you! When-how- you weren't supposed to land for another eight hours!" Zenigata smiled, his face burrowed in the crook of Lupin's neck.<br/>
"Caught an earlier flight. Figured you'd be here already."<br/>
He pulled back and gazed at the smaller man who was practically bursting with joy, talking a mile a minute as he clambered down on solid ground, retrieved his luggage and continued babbling about any one thing.<br/>
Zenigata let himself be wrapped in the blanket of rambles and warm smiles, and he felt the tension of the last eight months melt away from him, as he took in the thief's shabby attire.<br/>
Lupin looked like a blend of Groucho Marx and a colour-blind golfing enthusiast.<br/>
He allowed Lupin to drag him to the park house where a deep blue Fisker Karma Sedan responded to a press on Lupin's keychain.<br/>
Zenigata blinked; this seemed like a remotely...modest car compared to Lupin's usual choices, but who was he to complain.<br/>
Lupin chatted away as they drove through the early morning streets of Ladera, when Zenigata realized that they were taking the exit for Santa Monica.<br/>
"Malibu?" he asked teasingly. Lupin, sans eyebrows and moustache, smirked.<br/>
"Santa Barbara. Got a small condo there."<br/>
Zenigata merely smiled and leant back.<br/>
It felt good to be home.<br/>
He frowned at the thought; he'd never been to that part of California, hardly ever set foot out of LA, so why..? He turned to look over at Lupin, the backdrop of the ocean, and understood.</p><p>The sounds from the El Camino Highway were little more than backdrop that blended into the rushing of the waves.<br/>
Zenigata, relaxing into an easychair, mused how easy it could have been to mistake this place for the southwestern part of Kyushu. Of course, neither the temperature nor the flora helped to keep the illusion up, but for a fleeting moment, he could imagine being back in Japan. It had been almost an year now.<br/>
"Need a refill?"<br/>
Zenigata glanced up to see Lupin standing there, Hawaii shirt, bermudas, pilot sunglasses, and couldn't help but snort. The thief was just too haute volée to ever pass as a local.<br/>
And Zenigata wouldn't have it any other way. Looking back out over the ocean, he said,<br/>
"No thanks, I'm good."<br/>
Lupin set the jug down on the coffee table next to him and plopped down in his own chair, glass in hand. For a moment, they remained in comfortable silence, then Zenigata asked,<br/>
"So, who normally lives here?" Lupin took a sip of his spiked iced Guaranicà and replied,<br/>
"We got a handyman who comes over twice a month and the neighbour's gardener takes care of the weeds."<br/>
"No, I mean, whom does it belong to."<br/>
"Oh. Me, of course." Zenigata sighed.<br/>
"Lupin." The thief scowled.<br/>
"I mean it. It's mine."<br/>
"Lupin."<br/>
"Look, I swear it's mine! It's part of my inheritance! I can proof it!" By now Lupin was positively whining. Zenigata gave him a long look.<br/>
"How many tries?"<br/>
"Huh?"<br/>
"How many tries, until you got the forgery <i>just right</i> to pass inspection?" Lupin pouted, looking very much like a kid about to throw a tantrum, then yelled,<br/>
"Fine! You don't believe me? I'll show you! I got the titles and everything right here, in my safe! It's real, it's mine, I didn't steal it, and I expect a profound apology after this!"<br/>
With that he stomped back inside the house, ranting and fuming. Zenigata looked after him, chin resting on one fist, and mumbled,<br/>
"And I didn't even have to needle him about the safe..!"</p><p>Long, elegant fingers ghosted over hairy, tan skin.<br/>
Teeth, pearls in a line, nipped at the faint scars zigzagging across the shoulder blades, then soft lips touched the mark of an old bullet wound.<br/>
"You think it will work", mumbled Goemon. Jigen grunted, his head buried halfways in his pillow.<br/>
"Of course," he said,<br/>
"after all, Italy worked like a charm, ne?" Goemon kissed his shoulder and Jigen sighed.<br/>
"I still believe we made it too easy for Zenigata-keibu to find him." Calloused fingertips found a knot and pressed gently; working it out. Jigen groaned, then replied,<br/>
"Not really. If we'd been any more obvious, tot-san would've smelled a rat and avoided us. Or come in guns-a-blazing with a whole army. Plus, Lupin wouldn't have made it, if we'd waited any longer."<br/>
Wiry black hair was pushed from a long neck, lips teasing the uneven nape and soft stubble they found there.<br/>
A lazy tongue pestered a twitching earshell, Jigen sighed anew.<br/>
"Are you gonna mount me or melt me?" he asked into the cushion. Goemon smiled, then pushed both thumbs into Jigen's small of the back and hushed,<br/>
"Both. Now hold still."</p><p>Some forty-five minutes later Lupin emerged from the obliterated pillow fort they called a bed and panted,<br/>
"A-apolo-gy..accepted. Fuu~uuck, I knew make-up..hah!. sex is the best, but you..."<br/>
From somewhere within the mass of cushions Zenigata moaned,<br/>
"Sorry, I don't perform so well 'n the heat. I'm more of a winter kinda guy..."<br/>
Lupin gave him a sharp glance.<br/>
"Don't perform..babe, your performance was great! Especially considering you've barely slept the past twenty-four hours." Zenigata lazily scratched his chest.<br/>
"Thirty-one", he whispered. Lupin huffed.<br/>
"See? You just came off a hairy undercover mission, didn't get any sleep, flew over from Venezuela and-"<br/>
He broke off.<br/>
Zenigata was fast asleep, an expression of relaxed bliss on his usually stern features. Whatever solid parts remained inside Lupin's heart, melted at the sight. For once, his protective instincts overrode is possessive ones. He snuggled up to the larger man and pressed Zenigata's face against his chest, locking him in a lose embrace. Dreamily, Zenigata turned into the hug and wrapped one arm around Lupin's waist, snoring softly.<br/>
Lupin felt his eyes drift closed; kissing the crown of Zenigata's head, he hushed,<br/>
"O-yasumi, Koichi. Don't worry, I'll take good care of you."</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
*sigh* I just had this picture of these two idiots snuggling and used every excuse to get them into this position.</p><p> </p><p>°D.U.C.K.: with the highest regards to Terry Moore and his immortal tale SIP, read Deep Undercover Capability. This is truly survival of the fittest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. You make me feel like dancing</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Cameos, parties, pep talks and smut, oh my! Sorry for taking so long; this chapter just didn't wanted to be written. Hope you like it anyway. Enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>You make me feel like dancing</i>
</p><p>Four days later, Lupin rejoined Jigen in Toronto for their next heist. The gunman lit a cigarette, as he took in Lupin's beaming face and exurbant behaviour.<br/>
"So, you and tot-san meet up?" Lupin smiled even wider.<br/>
"Haaiii."<br/>
"You made up?" Wide enough to eat a banana sideways.<br/>
"Haaaii."<br/>
"You fucked like rabbits?" Ok, he didn't know the human face is <i>capable</i> of that.<br/>
"Haaii."<br/>
"You gonna get married?<br/>
"Haa- wait, what, where did that come from?" Lupin gave his best friend a baffled look. Jigen sniffled, then let out the smoke in a jet.<br/>
"Look, I can tell that y' got it bad for him. Hell, everyone can see that you guys are so much into each other, it's downright ridiculous you haven't tied the knot yet. And yeah, him being the guy to catch and put y' behind bars is a problem, but I think it's worth it."<br/>
Lupin's expression changed, quiet, serious, almost somber.<br/>
"What you mean is, <i>he's</i> worth it."<br/>
Another puff of smoke.<br/>
"Yeah, he is. He most definetly is. Especially for you." Black brows over dark brown eyes furrowed.<br/>
"You might wanna elaborate that?" Jigen drew a deep sigh, consulting the cigarette between his fingers.<br/>
"He's changed y'. He's changed all of us for the better, but particularly you. When we first met..."<br/>
The cigarette's cherry glowed brightly. Jigen was buying time, even someone less close to him than Lupin would have been able to tell.<br/>
"When we first met, y' where -unhinged. Ok, we all were, but you had these downright maniac streaks that made me sleep with my gun underneath me. If I slept at all. It was like working with someone who never outgrew puberty on <i>crack</i>."<br/>
Jigen took one last drag.<br/>
"Zenigata forced y' to grow up. To actually care 'bout something else than your own fun. To..take care of those who mean something to you."<br/>
He dropped the dying fag on the floor and squashed it out with his foot.<br/>
"Most people'd kill to have someone like him consider, leave alone dedicate this much of their life to them. It's a once in a lifetime situation and he's a one of a kind sorta guy. That alone makes him worth all the trouble you've been through and ultimately gonna face. Y' drop the ball on this, I'll never forgive y'."<br/>
Lupin's glare was troubled, brittle.<br/>
"Are we done here?" Jigen sniffled again, then brushed past the thief.<br/>
"Ikko."</p><p>Home.<br/>
He was home.<br/>
Well, not technically, since he was standing in front of the +Izumo Ouyashiro, looking out on the sea he could barely make out between the mountain tops, but at least he was back in Japan.<br/>
And in time for the O-Hanami, too.<br/>
Sakura-dango, a homemade bento and several bottles of Golden Tea lay scattered upon the blanket he had laid out for himself, a small distance from the more popular areas. He was gazing up into the pink and white of the blossoms, when a shadow fell upon him.<br/>
He squinted against the bright sky and blinked in surprise.<br/>
Goemon was standing over him, asking silently for permission to join him.<br/>
Zenigata nodded and scooted slightly aside to make space for the young samurai.<br/>
For a while, the two men just sat there in silence, letting their gaze soar across the scenery, then Goemon spoke,<br/>
"Do you love him?" Zenigata blushed. Clearing his throat, he confessed,<br/>
"I-thought I made that obvious a long time ago."<br/>
Goemon nodded, still staring into the distance.<br/>
"Take good care of him." Zenigata thought, he had misheard. But before he could utter a sound, Goemon turned to look at him. Zenigata's heart skipped a beat, the expression on Goemon's face..acceptance, benevolence, gratitude, hope and a silent warning all warred for dominace on the ronin's handsome features.<br/>
"He can be quite difficult at times, I know that." Goemon rose from his seated position, never breaking eye contact.<br/>
"But I also know that you're the only one capable of handling him."<br/>
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Zenigata to feel as he had all those years ago, when his former in-laws had agreed to give him their daughter in marriage.<br/>
Only this time, the world would not look kindly upon his relationship, but do anything to destroy it.<br/>
Zenigata's face turned to stone.<br/>
Not this time.<br/>
Not ever again.<br/>
Lupin was his, and he would raise heaven and hell to be with his love.</p><p>"-Award for agent of the year goes to- Inspector Zenigata Koichi!"<br/>
Blinking, the aforementioned looked up from where he had been exchanging glances around the room with some of his other coworkers he had recognized. It took him a moment and some coaxing from his table partners to realize that he was indeed the one being called on the dais. Blushing like a school girl, the burly inspector rose and walked over to the podium. He was no stranger to cameras, and this wasn't the first time he won the award either, but he hated speaking in front of public, if it wasn't case-related.<br/>
Clearing his throat, he cautiously walzted his way through gratitudes and platitudes, trying his best to turn off the three-alarm-fire his face had become. He was far more accostumed to be ridiculed and chastitized by people than to be feted by the crowd. When asked what he thought about Lupin having escaped while he had been undercover, Zenigata smirked and replied,<br/>
"Looks like I am good for something after all, ne? Don't worry, this old bloodhound never took his nose off the trail."<br/>
He waved off any further questions and left the podium, giving thanks and shaking hands with anyone who walked up to him.<br/>
By all means, it did feel good to get some recognition, even if it was only for a moment. Several boring speeches, hearty courses and excellent glasses of wine later, the festivities were moved to the ballroom.<br/>
Zenigata, who had learned to dance but still felt awkward about it, stood to the side, humbly accepting people's congratulations and politely declining any offers to dance with the excuse, he needed to sober up before risking to trample other's feet.<br/>
As the evening progressed, fewer people sought out the wide-shouldered luminary, opting to give the inspector some much deserved breathing room.<br/>
Eventually, one of the guarding officers slunk up to him and asked,<br/>
"So, you really are Inspector Zenigata? I mean, the <i>real</i> Inspector Zenigata?"<br/>
Zenigata, who was nursing a Ginger Ale, tilted a brow.<br/>
"Depends. Who wants to know?" A thousand watt smile lit up the other's face.<br/>
"Oh, I am a huge fan of yours! I've been for years! I've read all your case files, even those that don't include Lupin! Your deductions and estimations are absolutely brilliant! I often wondered why you don't work as a profiler; I mean, your charachter studies and possible sociopathic origins of Lupin and his gang members are incredibly spot-on!"<br/>
the younger police officer practically cooed at him.<br/>
Silver buried in oak narrowed.<br/>
"Gomen, I didn't catch your name..?" The guard saluted.<br/>
"Security l, Wolf Dietrich from Northrhine-Westfalia, at your service!" Zenigata mulled this over, his face impassionate, then rumbled,<br/>
"Didn't know Germans spoke fluently Japanese..." Dietrich's grin faltered slightly.<br/>
"Yes, well, I'm part Japanese, so..."<br/>
"°Peut-être le prochain fois, t'auras pas choisi le surnom Passepartout, oui?" Lupin scratched his cheek.<br/>
"Ne, what ticked you off?" Zenigata hid a smirk behind a sip.<br/>
"'Read through all my case files?' Come on, Lupin, that's not a fanboy, that's a stalker", he deadpanned. Lupin winced, then pouted.<br/>
"Just for that I demand the first dance!" A broad, elegant brow slipped upward.<br/>
"What makes you think it's my first?" Lupin coyly bit his lower lip.<br/>
"I've been watching you the whole evening. First I wanted to show up as drunk lady and give you a lapdance, but then I decided for a little more -modesty."<br/>
Zenigata actually choked on his drink. Lupin and modesty? In what warped-out-of-bend dystopian surreality would that happen?<br/>
As if having read his thoughts, the masked thief pouted.<br/>
"Hey, I can be very subtle, you know." Zenigata snorted into his hankerchief.<br/>
"Stop, please! Are you trying to kill me?"<br/>
The pout grew into a frown. Turning his nose up at the older man, Lupin huffed,<br/>
"I will have you know that I can be the very embodiment of demureness."<br/>
Zenigata barked a laugh, then chuckled into his glass.<br/>
"I think this drink might be spiked, because I swear you just reffered to yourself as 'modest and demure.' What's next, you being a prodigy of chastity?" Lupin squinted one eye at him.<br/>
"I'm trying to retain an amount of credibility, y' know?" Zenigata grinned.<br/>
"Should have stopped while you were behind." Lupin harrumped and pouted some more, while Zenigata finished his Ginger Ale.<br/>
"So, about that dance..." Zenigata trailed off. He was trying to come off as suave and self-assured, but failed miserably due to his blushing face. Lupin perked up. Giving a low bow, he purred,<br/>
"Allow me." Zenigata took the proffered hand and lead him to one of the ballroom's darker areas.<br/>
"Don't even think about it. There's no way I'm letting you lead." Lupin smiled.<br/>
"Fine by me." Zenigata counted down...<br/>
"Seeing as I'm usually the one leading you on..." and was not disappointed.<br/>
His large hand positioned itself at the small of Lupin's back, holding the giddy thief at the perfect distance:<br/>
close enough for Zenigata's heat to radiate onto the thief's body, but too far away to allow even so much as an 'accidental' brushing up.<br/>
Lupin loved to get his Inspector flustered by applying as much physical contact as possible; in turn, Zenigata never grew tired of teasing the shorter man by staying just out of his reach and watch him fret more by the minute.<br/>
Lupin muttered a few choice words under his breath about the unfairness of the situation, but Zenigata soothed him by telling him to just enjoy the moment.</p><p>Five dances in, someone cut in line, and the paramours broke apart with apparent ease. However, there was a strain to Lupin's charming smile and a flicker of loss in Zenigata's silverdark orbs.<br/>
Always keeping up the appearance, no matter what.<br/>
It was for that very reason Zenigata walked one of his drunk coworkers to her room and helped her to bed. It was nothing he hadn't done so dozens of times for any of his men and women in uniform, but this was a festive event. A senior officer being seen entering an intoxicated female subordinate's hotel room? The rumour mill would be running overtime.<br/>
He averted his eyes, picking up and folding the clothes the drunk belle had strewn across the floor, and listened to her struggle into her nightgown. Only when he heared her shuffle and rustle with the covers, he dared risk a peek.<br/>
She was decent, but had problems figuring out how the sheets worked. He tucked her in, pulling the comforter over her, and she was fast asleep before he had even turned off the nightlight. He tiptoed out the room in the semi-darkness and closed the door behind him quietly.<br/>
Heaving a sigh of relief, Zenigata then proceeded towards his room, where he knew a very eager thief to be waiting.</p><p>Zenigata was like a starved man; always wanting, needing more, and Lupin was happy to give it to him.<br/>
Despite his belly feeling swollen and his orifice sending tiny peaks of warning up his spine, Koichi's dick and semen just felt too good inside him.<br/>
"Hnn, yes, bon dieu, Koichi, more, onegai, anch'e, encore, encore.."<br/>
His little thief was babbling and Zenigata's chest swelled with pride and love. He knew he would be walking more than a little funny the next day, but couldn't care less.<br/>
He thrust deep into Lupin, freckling the scarred back and shoulders with ever more bitemarks and hickeys.<br/>
Lupin began to pump his hips faster, signaling Zenigata that he was close. The bulky inspector tightened his grip on the slender hips in his hands and quickened his pace. A string of unintelligent slurs flew from Lupin's mouth, and Zenigata came first. One hand wrapped around Lupin's weeping cock, he roared his orgasm into this one's shoulderblade while simultaneously jacking him off.<br/>
A broken, garbled shout, strings of thick white sperm upon pristine sheets, and Lupin blanked out. Zenigata just lay there, panting, holding him tight, knowing beyond any doubt that he would never love anyone as strongly, deeply and completely as Lupin.</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
Hope this will keep you satisfied until the next chapter. And yeah, 'Wolf Dietrich' was the first name that came to mind. Just..roll with it.</p><p>+Izumo Ouyashiro: Enshrining Okuninushi no Okami, also known as Daikoku-sama, it is one of the most important shrines of all Japan. Daikou-sama is rumoured to be the founder of the Japanese nation, as well as the supreme ruler of all dieties.</p><p>°"Peut-être le prochain fois, t'auras pas choisi le surnom Passepartout, oui?" French: "Perhaps next time, you wont chose the surname Picklock, right?" The term 'passepartout' is more commonly used for 'master key', but can also refer to a lock pick. The German term is 'Dietrich.</p>
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<a name="section0011"><h2>11. This is electrifying</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>A little naughty, a little funny, and a tweak in the plot. I think.</p>
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    <p>
  <i>This is electrifying</i>
</p><p>A tongue slides up a long, sinewy neck.<br/>
Dances around an earshell, down a jawline and over a stubborn chin into the awaiting mouth. There it intertwines with another wickedly clever tongue, mingling, caressing, as moans and sighs trickle over the two warring muscles and escape kiss-swollen lips.<br/>
Dexterous fingers bury themselves in dark hair, comb through greying temples, clasp around a sturdy neck and drive over broad shoulders to rest on a barrel chest.<br/>
Quick work they make of the shirt, soon enough trying to pull the undershirt from the waistband. A second pair of hands, brawny, sturdy, stop the ones busying themselves with the belt buckle.<br/>
"Not here."<br/>
The voice is low, dark, raspy, gruff; more than an octave deeper than normal, sending shivers of utter desire down a lean, nimble back.<br/>
"Onegai." A denying rumble.<br/>
"You know me. Once I start, I can't stop." A smirk, lecherous and inviting.<br/>
"So, who tells you to stop?"<br/>
A different smirk, longing and apologetic.<br/>
"My offer still stands-" "-among other things!" An annoyed huff, an amused snort. It dissolves into a pleasured sigh, when hot lips find a pulse underneath pale, scarred skin.<br/>
The deep voice rasps,<br/>
"Find me. My place. Eight thirty. I'll be waiting." Another kiss, then the slender form is released from the embrace. Dismayed, the higher voice pouts,<br/>
"What about my little problem?" There is a quiet laughter in the reply,<br/>
"Feel free to use our public showers."</p><p>"So?" Jigen watched Lupin hop into their open convertible.<br/>
"So?"<br/>
"The both of you."<br/>
"Nh."<br/>
"How's it going?"<br/>
"Same as before, just with a whole lot less fighting."<br/>
"Nh. He good?"<br/>
"Oh yeah, he's great. Considering we've done the worst possible things to each other, we don't have to put up any pretenses."<br/>
"Feels good to be loved, huh?"<br/>
"Yeah, it does." There was an awkward pause, then,<br/>
"Gomen, Jigen, I know you-"<br/>
Jigen shook his head.<br/>
"It's ok. We are-were one thing, but you and Zeni are meant to be."<br/>
Lupin stared at his closest friend. Even beyond the curtain of bangs and the rim of the hat he could see the wetness nestled in the gunman's corner of the eyes.<br/>
Clearing his throat, he inquired,<br/>
"Ne, but you and Goemon..?"<br/>
A startle, a calm smirk.<br/>
"Leave my little samurai outta this. If y' know what's healthy for you."<br/>
Lupin chuckled.<br/>
"Or what, you gonna turn me into a sieve?"<br/>
Jigen leaned back, pushed his hat up and placed his elbow on the backrest, facing Lupin.<br/>
"No, but Goemon's extremely monogamous and'll most likely slice 'n' dice y' into your individual atoms, if y' tried anything on him, now that you're with oji-chan."<br/>
Lupin forced down a gulp, then rasped,<br/>
"Duly noted." Jigen started the car.<br/>
"Hope so."</p><p>Mine Fujiko is not easily startled.<br/>
Mine Fujiko is not easily baffled.<br/>
Mine Fujiko is not prone to gape open-mouthed in utter bewilderment.<br/>
But here she was, standing in the doorframe of the bedroom Lupin occupied in their latest hideout.<br/>
The one he shared with his love and lover, one Inspector Zenigata Koichi.<br/>
Who sat next to him, long sturdy legs loosely clasped around the thief, who sat crosslegged halfways in his lap, playing with the hem of his tank top.<br/>
Zenigata, petrified in horror, sported an expression befitting a schoolboy who got caught with his hand down his pants.<br/>
Lupin, frozen in mid-motion, recovered enough to force an awkward, gigantic farce of a grin on his ash-and-ember tinted face.<br/>
Before he could draw a single breath, alas, Fujiko stormed in and exclaimed,<br/>
"Arsène Lupin the Third! I want to know and I want to know <i>now</i>!"<br/>
She placed her fists on her hips, her stern, angry look making the thief shrink.<br/>
"Are you two dating, or are you just trying to get into Zenigata's pants to distract him from whatever you're currently scheming?"<br/>
An almost hurt look showed on Lupin's face.<br/>
"Just so you know, Koichi and I have been seeing each other for little over an year, now. We've been a couple since he returned from Venezuela, five months ago."<br/>
Silence.<br/>
More silence.<br/>
The tension grew like a bubble on the surface of the ocean, then Fujiko yelled,<br/>
"Oh my goodness! It's about <i>time</i> you clued in!"<br/>
Lupin blinked at her in confusion.<br/>
"Wait, you wanna tell me- you knew..?"<br/>
"Of course I knew!" Fujiko tossed her goldenbrown mane over her shoulder.<br/>
"I'm a woman. We women know such things intuitively." Lupin just sat there, blinking some more. Fujiko, arms crossed, smirked at him. Her expression softened, her eyes grew warmer.<br/>
"Why do you think I didn't want to hook up with you, hmm? Between Jigen and Zenigata, the competition was just too fierce." She leaned forward, her nose almost touching Lupin's, which elicted a warning growl from Zenigata.<br/>
"You and I are too much alike. But unlike me, you crave attention and applause. You need company. Never mind how reckless and adventurous, you're still a herd animal."<br/>
She straightened, her smirk now playful.<br/>
"Just like a little monkey."<br/>
Lupin scratched the back of his head.<br/>
"Ne, guess you got me there."<br/>
Zenigata maneuvered himself between them. Giving a low cough, he grit,<br/>
"Now that ownership regulations have been discussed, care to give us some privacy? We kind of were in the middle..of..something..."<br/>
Try as he might, the burly inspector just couldn't play it suave. Fujiko jumped at the opportunity to tease the poor man a little.<br/>
"Of course. Unless you'd like some pointers..."<br/>
"Trust me," Lupin cut in with a purr,<br/>
"Koichi needs no pointers whatsoever."<br/>
He smiled, but it was dangerous and telling. Zenigata felt a slight shudder trickle down his spine; he had never known his cambrioleur give his would-be girlfriend such a fierce look.<br/>
His cock stirred, his heartbeat quickened and before realizing he had spoken, he heard himself say,<br/>
"Ne, koibito, it's ok. No need to be protective."<br/>
He curled one strong arm around the thief's slender form and drew him close. Placing a chaste kiss behind this one's ear, he whispered,<br/>
"It's appreciated, though."<br/>
Lupin practically melted. Snuggling into the hug, he muttered,<br/>
"If y' say so..."<br/>
Fujiko giggled.<br/>
"He's so possessive, too." Lupin blinked at her out of one lazy eye.<br/>
"You'd be too, if y' were me." This time, her grin was wide and almost girlish.<br/>
"That good, huh?" Lupin rolled and stretched within Zenigata's arms like a spoiled cat.<br/>
"You have no idea."<br/>
A polite throat-clearing, since Zenigata felt the need to stop the two friends before he died of embarassment, turned the two thieves' attention back to the inspector.<br/>
"As I was <i>saying</i>," he stressed the last word,<br/>
"we'd like some privacy. Please."<br/>
Fujiko nodded. She had been told many times in far less polite ways to piss off. Winking at them both, she quipped,<br/>
"Ne, play safe boys. And remember to invite me to the baby shower."<br/>
With that and an impish laugh she sauntered out the door, leaving the two gaping lovebirds in their nest. Lupin was first to recover. Brow furrowed, he grumbled,<br/>
"I wonder, if she knows." Zenigata, relief cautiously setting in, asked,<br/>
"Knows what?" Lupin cocked his head.<br/>
"That we can't get pregnant."<br/>
Zenigata stared at him, as if the thief had just turned into a pink elephant with blue-tinted rainbow wings and a golden trunk.<br/>
"Did she take your brain with her, when she left?"</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
I got the rest of the plot kindasortasomehow figured out, but it's still a tangled mess.</p>
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<a name="section0012"><h2>12. When I make that move so right</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>It's family time! No seriously, it is. A little heartbreak, some confessions and apologies.<br/>Oh and a whole string of Japanese terms, so look at the bottom of the page for translations.<br/>Enjoy!</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <i>When I make that move so right<i></i></i>
</p><p>
Zenigata Koichi is a tall, burly man.<br/>
Broad shoulders, barrel chest, long, sturdy legs, big strong hands, a face that can invoke either mortal fear or utter adoration, depending on his mood, and a deep, gruff voice which carries easily three +banchi down the road in midday traffic.<br/>
So, why did this huge, broastful force of nature feel his legs tremble like dry leaves as he made his way up the short, broad driveway? His dark silverbrown eyes darted around, taking in his surroundings.<br/>
The garden was well-kept, but it always had been. Apparently, part of the roof had been replaced, but it was only noticeable to those who knew its original condition.<br/>
The kitchen window had been widened, a telltale shimmer on the <i>°engawa</i> hinted at a recent polishing of the veranda.<br/>
And there, at the entrance, stood a woman, the very embodiment of a <i>*ryosai kenbo</i>; poised, elegant and patient. Only the faintest of lines marred her exquisite beauty, a hint of anhracite dusting the gleam of her glossy raven hair.<br/>
Zenigata came to a stand at the bottom of the three steps leading up to the engawa and looked at the beauty, who returned his gaze with cool indifference.<br/>
"|Tadaima kaerimashita." The words fought their way out of his tight throat, like a cat trying to squeeze through a too narrow gap.<br/>
For a moment, he doubted she had heard him, but then a ruefull smile tugged at the corners of the still full lips, and Zenigata Yuriko's smokey voice replied,<br/>
!"O-kaeri nasai. Anata."</p><p>
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      <i>It had been a trip down memory lane, as she walked him through the house.<br/>
She had offered him his -their- old room for the night, but he had declined, for obvious reasons, and instead settled in the guest room opposite.<br/>
As he sauntered down the hall where all the family pictures were framed and lined up in chronological order, he couldn't help his chest swelling with pride. Despite chasing Lupin around the world more times than he cared to count, he had always managed to make it to all his daughter's important milestones in her life: her birth, 1hinatsuri, school plays, yokosuka, college entrance, Seijin no Hi..next would be her college graduation, wedding and baby's birth.<br/>
"She has grown up well, Koichi." He nodded, tears in his eyes.<br/>
"Shirimasu. You did an amazing, incredible job on her."<br/>
He turned to face his ex-wife.<br/>
"Especially considering you had to do it all by yourself."<br/>
Shyly, cautiously, he palmed the side of her face and almost unaware, Yuriko leaned into the touch.<br/>
Koichi gulped; despite everything that had come between them, never mind the years down the line, the arguements, fights, divorce, estrangement, he had never stopped loving Yuriko.<br/>
Not for a moment.<br/>
She was and always would be his first and the love of his life, but she couldn't give him what Lupin did: freedom.<br/>
Hers was a life of restriction, tradition, upholding the foundation of Japanese culture and society, whilst he...<br/>
He had always been a rebel. Always thinking outside the box, playing on the edge of the rulebook while making certain his moral compass never swayed too far from the narrow path. It was what had made him such a good detective and accelerated his career.<br/>
He was a hunter, an adventurer. Even if his reports were immaculate, he hated paperwork and meetings and having to pamper the bloated, fragile egos of stuffed shirts, celebrities or politicans.<br/>
Despite his back often complaining about the abuse he suffered, his skin being a roadmap of scars and burn marks and bullet wounds-turned-star-shaped freckles, his body was honed and hard from his years on the road.<br/>
Koichi loved nature, adventure, the thrill of risking his life in the name of justice, commandeering a legion of police officers and SWAT teams and...<br/>
And here was this delicate flower, this lotus blossom, a lily raised and groomed in a sheltered home, who's idea of an adventure was a camping trip or a week on a cruise ship.<br/>
It had been the right decision, writing the house over to her, where she could raise their daughter in the safety and obscurity of his hometown; shielded from the crime and cruelty Koichi faced everyday in his work.<br/>
And Lupin.<br/>
Which brought him back to the reason he had come here in the first place.</i>
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</p><p>"So you're asking for my blessings to marry the man who broke apart our marriage?"<br/>
Koichi shook his head.<br/>
"No, I could and would never ask you for that. I deserve every curse and slander you throw my way, ten-thousand times over. All I'm asking for is...will you <i>allow</i> me to marry him?"<br/>
Yuriko gazed at the large man in front of her. The years had been both unkind and kind to him. While both his face and body still retained much of their youthful form, there was a fatigue in his eyes and in the worry lines around his mouth, she hadn't realized before. She saw dustings of grey on his temple, sprinkles of silver in his hair.<br/>
Besides being in formidable shape, both physically and mentally, Zenigata Koichi was clearly a man past his prime.<br/>
She shook her head.<br/>
Lupin had wasted both their best years without any regard, so it was only deserving, he would have to make due with what remained.<br/>
"Does he know you're here?" Koichi fidgeted.<br/>
"He doesn't even know I want to -well..." Yuriko's eyes widened.<br/>
"You mean -you haven't proposed yet?" Koichi shook his head.<br/>
"I could never marry him without both your and Toshiko's consent. If either one of you says no, it's off the table. Period."<br/>
Zenigata Yuriko, twelfth generation great-granddaughter to the famous painter 2Kanno Tan'yù, stared in amazement at her ex-husband. Her memory was flooded with images of their first meeting, courtship, dates, wedding, and she remembered why she had married him.<br/>
Not only for his family name and lineage, not only because he was an up-and-rising star in the police force, but because Koichi, this bold, brazen, boisterous, bumbling bull of a man, was also one of the most empathic, kind-hearted, protective, sweet and forgiving people she had ever met.<br/>
Placing her small, delicate porcelain doll hand on his large, work-roughened one, she kissed his forehead and whispered,<br/>
"Go. Ask Toshiko. And give her my regards."<br/>
And when Koichi, her Koichi, smiled that wide, tearfilled, starry-eyed smile at her, she knew she had done right by the world.</p><p>Large, beautiful eyes.<br/>
Eyes, so very much like his own, but with even longer lashes, though this ones were elegantly curved, gaped at him from a heartshaped, soft face framed by a shock of jet-black shimmering strands of silk.<br/>
Full lips, high cheekbones, a perfect little nose and the hint of a cleft in her chin made Zenigata Toshiko a dazzling beauty.<br/>
Much like her mother, she was poetry in motion. Much like her father, her physique was downright intimidating.<br/>
Zenigata sweatdropped; even through her thick pullover and loose jeans he could tell that his daughter could give Mine Fujiko a run for her money.<br/>
He was quite certain, if Toshiko ever ran into Lupin, she would turn the master thief into ground wasabi before kicking him into 4Minamidake.<br/>
Though, right know he had the distinct feeling that his own life was in jeopardy, judging by the daggers Toshiko glared at him.<br/>
"Ne, let me get this right. You came here, to campus, to ask for my permittance to marry Lupin? The same Lupin, who is solely responsible for the fact that I grew up without a father?"<br/>
Koichi winced; even though he had mulled this same thought over and over again in his head, it was still brutal hearing it out loud.<br/>
Toshiko crossed her arms in front of her voluptous chest and narrowed her mahogany eyes.<br/>
"Give me one good reason not to denounce you right here and now and issue a restraining order against you."<br/>
Koichi paled; his heart constricted in his chest and he felt downright sick. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat and failed, even as tears spung from his eyes and ran down his cheeks.<br/>
Toshiko looked away, her own features swaying back and forth between embarassment and annoyance. Eventually, Zenigata composed himself, cleared his throat and rose from his seat.<br/>
"Wakata. Then I won't propose. I am so sorry for causing you such pain and wasting your time."<br/>
Toshiko's head snapped around.<br/>
"Matte, matte, you haven't proposed? Or talked about it?" Koichi shook his head.<br/>
"No matter what, you are and always will be my family. If you refuse, I will not ask him."<br/>
He sighed, feeling old beyond his years.<br/>
"I don't deserve you, I never did. When you were born..." He smiled wistfully.<br/>
"I spent the next twenty-eight months directing traffic and writing fines. Everything that allowed me to come home in the evening and see that sweet smile and hear that little laughter of yours. I knew then, I had it made. I could have spent the rest of my life working my way up at the local police-"<br/>
"Dame desu," interrupted Toshiko,<br/>
"you're too good a detective to waste your time on petty crimes and runaways. Everybody knows that. #Keishichou doesn't hire bumblebees, and neither does Interpol. It was just bad luck that you ran into Lupin."<br/>
Koichi flexed his shoulders.<br/>
"Not exactly ran into as much as assigned. And it was entirely my fault that I got obsessed with him."<br/>
Silverbrown orbs locked with dark chestnut.<br/>
"And that I failed you. Both of you. I brought shame to both of you and our family name. Not only by being incapable to bring him to justice, but also for falling in love with the very criminal I vowed to put behind bars. All the things I sacrificed, all the times I could have, should have spent with you, and instead I made a spectacle out of myself and caused you and your mother to suffer the ridicule of the people around you."<br/>
A brow, shaped like his own but so fine, it appeared to be calligraphy, disappeared behind a curtain of night-turned-whisps.<br/>
"Honto ni? I don't think you're giving yourself enough credit, otou-san."<br/>
Koichi's heart skipped a beat; his entire being felt as if flooded with sunlight at the addressing. Toshiko huffed.<br/>
"Of course it isn't funny to watch Lupin mock you while you're left to pick up the pieces, but still...how many officers and detectives quit after even one run-in with Lupin? How many suffered nowhere near as much as you and decided to call it quits? Do you have any idea how amazing it is to tell people, that after all these years, you're the only officer, Tokyo Metro and Interpol, who never ceased hunting Lupin and keeps him on his toes? Never mind how often he managed to escape," Zenigata shrank and hid his face behind his hat,<br/>
"Do you have any idea how cool it is to be able to say,<br/>
'Sou desu, he got away again, but my father will forever make certain, Lupin the Third will always have to look over his shoulder, wherever he goes'?"<br/>
She leaned back in her chair and her smirk, oh gods, that smirk so much like his own, was so smug he felt ready to burst with pride.<br/>
"Zenigata keibu-sama, I hereby give you order to keep Lupin forever caught and shackled in the chambers of your heart."<br/>
It was fortunate, Toshiko had her father's sturdy build, otherwise his overjoyed bear hug would have broken her ribs.</p><p>°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°°<br/>
I had no intention to involve Zenigata's family in this story. But then this one sentence popped into my mind, grew into a couple paragraps...oh well, they get not nearly enough limelight.</p><p>
+banchi: house block
°engawa: the veranda circling the outside of most traditional Japanese houses<br/>
*ryosai kenbo: 'house wife' does not do this term justice. 'Lady of the house' would be more accurate. It is an honorific for an accomplished wife and mother representing the virtues of the classic Japanese womanhood<br/>
|Tadaima kaerimashita: I have returned now<br/>
!O-kaeri nasai. Anata: Welcome back. Dear. 'Anata' in this context is commonly used between married couples<br/>
1hinatsuri, yokosuka, Seijin no Hi: Girl's Day, Senior Prom, Coming of Age Day<br/>
2Kanno Tan'yù: hired to be the Tokugawa shogunate's first painter, this artist mastered several different techniques including yamato-e and the famous Momoyam-style gilded screens<br/>
4Minamidake: one of Japan's most active volcanoes. Its last eruption was on the 25. April of this year, meaning last Sunday<br/>
#Keishichou: Tokyo Metropolitan Police
          
        
      
    
  
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